


The Bonds of Fate

by Dextrousleftie



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Gay Sex, Love, M/M, Oral Sex, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-20
Updated: 2016-04-01
Packaged: 2018-05-15 04:59:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 29,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5772220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dextrousleftie/pseuds/Dextrousleftie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In an alternate universe, a swordsman named Zabuza meets a lovely boy named Haku. It appears they share a past; can they share a future together as well?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is in an alternate universe so that Zabuza and Haku don't have to die. While very moving, that dearth scene tore my heart out and beat me with it. I wanted something sweeter and better for these two than that sad ending. ANd fortunately for me, in fan fiction I can do that! :P -Dl

 

It was late in the afternoon of a hot but pretty summer's day, and a slim youth was tying down the awnings on his uncle’s stall, which was located in a bustling marketplace of a busy town at a crossroads. This youth, whose name was Haku, both manned the booth and helped to create the beautiful artwork that he and his uncle sold to passing travelers from it. His slender fingers painted masks, nimbly sewed lovely clothing with a set of silver needles, and created wonderful displays with flowers and wire. He was a gentle, happy soul, content with his work and his life both.

 

“Haku! Hurry it up, boy!” his uncle called impatiently.

 

The boy smiled at this crusty tone of voice, for he knew that his relative was really a very kind man who just pretended to be gruff. After all, he’d taken in the orphaned Haku when the boy was only two. In reality, Jenjo wasn’t his uncle at all. The older man had come across a black-eyed child sobbing at the side the road, covered in blood,and nearly catatonic from some unknown tragedy. He’d taken the child in, as he had no family of his own, and had raised Haku as his nephew. The boy would be forever grateful to Jenjo for this fact.

 

He called back: “I’m almost done, Uncle,” as he secured the last awning. He knew that Jenjo was hungry and would want to go home and get some dinner.

 

Haku could admit that he was feeling quite hungry himself, and was ready to eat his own supper. It had been a busy day, and sales had been brisk. The boy bent over to make sure that the shutters covering the stall were secure. His slim, willowy figure, encased in a pretty pink-and-white robe, was as graceful as a girl’s. Actually, Haku was as beautiful as a woman, and had often been mistaken for one. His big black eyes, porcelain skin, and long, silky dark hair, combined with a certain femininity in his character, meant that most people who came to the stall often mistook the young artist for a girl.

 

This was to their advantage actually - since a lovely, pretty-mannered female sold a good deal more than a rough-and-tumble boy would have. So Haku was happy to allow people to think that he was a girl, because he wasn’t bothered by the fact that so many assumed that he was female. 

 

Done at last. Haku straightened up to join his uncle on the walk to their house. But just as he started toward Jenjo, he heard a loud, aggressive voice nearby. “Get outta my way!” it snarled, and there was a yelp.

 

Haku turned swiftly to see what was happening. He saw a tall figure pushing its way through the crowds nearby, and a scowl on a rather sharply-planed face. The man who went along with the voice was wide-shouldered and lean-hipped, and carried an enormous sword in a back harness. Eyes as black as Haku’s were narrowed as this stranger snarled at someone who was taking too long to get out of his path.

 

Haku felt a rush of dizziness as he looked at this warrior. Those eyes! His hands gripped at the front of his robe, and he actually swayed a little. Never - never had he seen anyone else with eyes the same color as his before this. In Jenjo’s country the people were mostly light-eyed. There were only a few people with light-brown eyes, so Haku’s beauty was exotic and foreign. He had to know who this man was! Perhaps he was from the same country that Haku had come from, and could tell the boy  
something about the past he couldn’t remember. He’d simply been too young when whatever trauma occurred that had left him on the side of the road for a passing peddler to find.

 

He moved when he could get his limbs to work, positioning himself in the stranger’s path so that the man would have to see him. He spread his hands wide as the tall swordsman approached him, the black eyes going slitted with annoyance. “Pretty you may be, little lady,” he growled, “But that’s only going to take you so far. Get out of my road if you value those pretty limbs of yours.”

 

“I will not move,” Haku said softly but firmly. “Not until you tell me who you are – and why your eyes are like mine.”

 

Silence. The warrior’s face was a picture – although his brows didn’t rise since he didn’t have any. He stared at Haku for a moment, as the boy’s uncle cringed and held his breath nearby. Jenjo feared greatly what the tall, bad-tempered swordsman would do to his adopted nephew. But after a short time, the bigger man threw his head back and laughed loudly. “Well, well, a girl with some spunk!” he chuckled. “All right, pretty one; I’ll make you a deal. Buy me some dinner and I’ll tell you all about myself.” 

 

Haku sighed and nodded as his uncle relaxed so much he almost oozed down the side of the stall. “Very well, I will buy you dinner,” he said. “Uncle,” he went on, turning toward Jenjo. “I will return later.”

 

Jenjo looked like he wanted to protest, but he glanced at the tall swordsman and decided against it. His eyes pleaded with Haku not to anger the slightly crazy-looking stranger, and Haku smiled slightly. “Do not worry, Uncle,” he said in answer to that silent plea. “I shall be fine,” he turned back to the waiting swordsman, who looked faintly amused. “Come with me,” Haku said, and the tall man snorted.

 

“Lead on, little lady,” he said with a leer of appreciation for Haku’s charms.

 

The boy ignored this, walking away down the marketplace toward an open-air restaurant nearby. The stranger strolled after him, his hands stuck in his pockets. At the restaurant, Haku seated himself gracefully on one of the stools and waved at another. “Please sit down,” he said in his soft voice, which made the swordsman look even more amused. Being ordered around by this pretty creature rather tickled his funny bone. He plopped himself down on the stool. “Order what you like,” Haku said, taking a purse from his belt and opening it.

 

The tall man laughed at this carte blanche. “Gimme a bowl of spicy beef stew, a hunk of cheese bread, and a bowl of the vegetables in butter sauce,” he growled at the man behind the counter, who hurried to take his order. “What you gonna have?” he asked Haku. 

 

The boy hesitated, but the truth was he was very hungry. And who knew when he’d be done talking to this stranger? “Please, would you give me some of your braised chicken with fennel and a side of your potato compote,” Haku said to the man as he served the swordsman his food.

 

The man nodded, liking taking the order of a pretty, well-mannered girl who spoke in such a soft, sweet voice. “Of course, Miss,” he replied, making Haku sigh a little. 

 

Sometimes it would have been nice to be recognized as a boy rather than a girl…oh, well. He turned his black eyes on the man lounging next to him. “Who are you?” he asked intently. 

 

The swordsman chuckled. “Well, since you are feeding me…” he said. “My name’s Zabuza. I’m a wandering warrior as you can plainly see,” he waved a hand at the enormous weapon riding on his back.

 

“I am called Haku,” the boy replied quietly. “And I have never seen anyone else with the same color eyes as I have. Please tell me where you come from. Perhaps I come from the same place? I was just a small child when my Uncle Jenjo took me in. I have no knowledge of where I came from or who my family was.”

 

Zabuza eyed him. “Huh. Bet you were pretty small when…well, when you were orphaned. Right?”

 

Haku nodded. “I was only about two years old,” he said. “Just a tiny child.” 

 

“Heh. Which makes you nineteen now. I was thirteen myself,” Zabuza remarked. “When it happened.” 

 

“Please, what happened?! Do we come from the same place? Tell me!” Haku looked like he wanted to drag the answers out of the swordsman, who grinned at the little lady’s forwardness.

 

“We come from the same clan,” Zabuza acknowledged. “The eyes say it all,” he reached up to tap a finger at the side of one of his own black eyes. “The People of the Mist, that’s what outsiders called our clan. We lived in several big villages along a series of lakes far to the north and east of here. We were a prosperous people, probably more than a little too prosperous – which is why a Warlord-General decided he was going to take what we had. Our people were superb warriors, but the force he sent against our villages was ten times the size of ours. And since he didn’t want any of us trying to get revenge against him later for his actions, he ordered that everyone in the villages be killed, and the buildings burned to the ground. That meant even babes-in-arms, down to the last man, woman, and child. If you escaped, it was probably just pure luck on your part.”

 

“Oh,” Haku felt both relief at finally knowing and grief for the family he’d never really known who had died at the hands of this terrible conqueror. “How did you escape?” he asked Zabuza.

 

The swordsman shrugged. “I was part of a hunting party, we weren’t home at the time of the attack. When we saw the smoke rising from our village, my brother and father told me to wait where I was while they went and did reconnaissance. So I hunkered down in some reeds and waited for hours – but they never came back. They must have walked right into the middle of the battle. By the time I decided I wasn’t waiting anymore, the village was burned and the troops were gone. All I found were  
the bodies of my family and clan, scattered among the husks of the burned-out buildings.”

 

Haku’s hand flew to his mouth. “How horrible!” he examined. “I’m so sorry, Zabuza!” 

 

The swordsman’s lips twitched. He found it both amusing and rather touching (although he’d keep that second reaction to himself) that this pretty young thing felt sorry for him. “I survived,” he pointed out. “Pilfered some things and hit the road. At thirteen, I was old enough to be a man and a trained warrior. Been on my own ever since,” he added. “So now you know your origins, girl.” 

 

Haku bowed his head a little. “Thank you so much for telling me,” he said. “I have always wondered what tragedy brought a small child like me to the side of the road, covered in blood and crying. Now I know – and I also know not to go looking for my birth family,” he added sadly.

 

“You seem pretty well off as you are,” Zabuza noted. 

 

“That is true,” Haku agreed, brightening. “My Uncle Jenjo is a good man, who has raised me with love and taught me a craft. I cannot ask for anything more.” 

 

“Not even a husband and a flock of kids?” Zabuza remarked sardonically. 

 

Haku sighed. “I am sorry that you have mistaken me for a girl,” he said to the swordsman, “But I am actually a boy.”

 

Silence, as Zabuza gaped at him. “No way,” he said at last, flabbergasted.

 

Haku nodded. “Yes. It can sometimes be annoying to be constantly mistaken for a girl, but I have grown used to it. I cannot change my looks after all,” he added, lifting a slim hand to his own face and pressing his fingers into the skin lightly. The swordsman noted that his fingernails were painted blue.

 

“Yeah well - not dressing like a girl, having that long, girly hair, or painting your nails might be a start,” Zabuza replied dryly.

 

Haku lowered his eyes, shading them with long dark lashes. “Even if I dressed as a boy, many would assume that I was a girl trying to act like a boy,” he remarked. “And besides, as my uncle and I have discovered, my being a girl is good for business.”

 

“I’ll bet,” the swordsman said. “I’m gonna eat now, because my stomach thinks that my throat has been cut.” He dug into his food enthusiastically while Haku also ate in a much daintier manner. He kept glancing at the taller man’s profile, amazed that he’d finally met someone who could tell him about his past - and moreover was distantly related to him, since they’d come from the same clan. He felt a pull to this man, an urge to find out more about this person who had finally cleared up the mystery of his past.   
At last the swordsman had finished eating and Haku lay down his own utensils neatly next to the dishes he’d been eating out of. 

 

“Zabuza,” he said, making the narrowed black eyes slide his way. “Where are you going?” 

 

The swordsman laughed. “Not much of anywhere at the moment,” he replied dryly. “I wander around, taking odd jobs, supporting myself. Why?” 

 

“I would…” Haku hesitated, then boldly plunged ahead. “I would like it if you stayed here in this town for a bit of time. I would like to talk to you more about our people. In return, if you will consent to stay, I will continue to pay for your food. And I can give you a place to sleep at our house as well. Please,” he went on quietly.

 

Zabuza shook his rather spiky black head. “And how could resist anyone who begs so prettily?” he remarked to the air. “I suppose I might be able to find some work around here – there’s always a need for a wandering swordsman even in peaceful places like this. There are bars around here, after all; bars that have bouncers. I make a very good bouncer,” he added, which didn’t surprise Haku at all. 

 

“Thank you,” the younger man said. “For staying. I am in your debt.”

 

A shrug. “You don’t owe me anything, especially if you’re going to feed me and give me a place to crash. But what about that uncle of yours? He gonna be happy to have me sleeping in his house?”

 

Haku knew that the answer to this question would be a resounding ‘no’. With a capitol N. But he would just have to make Jenjo see how much he needed to talk to this man, to learn more about his own past and the fate of their people. The fate of his family. “My Uncle will welcome you into our house,” he said aloud, 'Eventually' he added in his own head. 

 

Zabuza looked skeptical, but frankly he didn’t care whether this kid’s relative wanted him or not. He figured that someone as sweet and pretty as this Haku could talk his uncle into letting Zabuza stay, will he or nil he. “Okay then...you got a deal, kid. I’ll stick around for a bit and gab with you sometimes. But I warn you I eat a lot,” he waved a hand at the empty bowls and platter in front of him.

 

“That is fine,” Haku replied serenely as he got to his feet. “Please come with me, and I shall tell my uncle that you are going to be staying with us.” 

 

'Now this I want to see,' Zabuza thought to himself as he got up in a leisurely fashion. He admired the graceful figure walking in front of him, because despite the fact that the kid had turned out to be a boy rather than a girl he was still really pretty. Besides, he’d always been an equal opportunity wolf. He’d go after any piece of tail he fancied, boy or girl. And he was starting to think that he really fancied this particular piece, for Haku was not only lovely but so graceful and willowy. He couldn’t help but wonder what the kid would be like in bed. And now he’d have time to find out, especially since they’d be living in the same house together. Hmm, things were looking up for him Zabuza mused to himself. Definitely looking up.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zabuza gets a place to sleep.

Haku led Zabuza to a small house on a side street, a narrow structure with two stories. He opened the door and indicated that the tall swordsman should follow him inside. Zabuza was happy to do so, because he was enjoying the back view in those pink-and-white robes too much to complain. He liked the way that a deliciously round ass was cupped by the fabric - and it gave him the urge to reach out and do the same thing with his palm. But he was sure that the boy wouldn’t react well at this stage of things, so he merely eyed the view rather than trying to grope it as he would have liked. 

 

The boy led the way to a narrow stairway that led upward, climbing the stairs with Zabuza at his heels. “You may sleep in this room,” he said over his shoulder to the swordsman as he moved down the hall to the second door on the left hand side. “Our guest room. The bed is a little small…” he added doubtfully, eyeing Zabuza’s very tall frame. 

 

“That’s fine,” the swordsman replied easily. “I’ll sleep on the floor if it’s too bad. It certainly won’t be the first time,” he added dryly.

 

“If that is the case,” Haku remarked as he set his hand on the knob, “I can give you a mat to lie on rather than the hard floor. It will be more comfortable for you.”

 

“Thanks, kid,” Zabuza said as the boy stepped into the room. He saw a quilt-covered bed, a small dresser, and a wash stand with a china basin and jug on it under the small window. The bed was pretty small, and definitely way too short for him to be able to lie comfortably in it. The hazards of being as tall as he was in a world where everybody else was mostly shorter, Zabuza mused to himself as he eyed it.

 

Seeing his expression, Haku lifted a slim hand. “I’ll get that mat. Please wait here.” 

 

The swordsman grunted in reply as the boy hurried out of the room. He set his pack on the floor, thinking to himself that these were the most comfortable surroundings that he’d had in many a long month. The room was neat, had curtains at the window and a braided rug on the floor, and smelled nice because of a vase of flowers on the dresser top. Life was definitely looking up for him. He rubbed at the back of his neck, feeling tired now that he had a place to sleep. He’d walked all day today, after he’d practiced his sword-work this morning in the field he’d slept in last night. He never missed a day of practice, knowing he had to keep sharp if he wanted to get hired on for any decent paying job. A swordsman was only as good as his ability to use his sword, and he couldn’t afford to let himself slip. He had nothing to fall back on if he did...and no one who would miss him if he was gone. 

 

Haku came back in the room carrying a rolled-up feather mat tied up with string. He handed this to Zabuza. “This should be long enough for you,” he told the swordsman. 

 

“Thanks,” Zabuza said, untying the strings and rolling out the mat in the middle of the wood floor. It did look long enough to accommodate his large frame. Haku departed again for a moment, only to return with a pile of blankets. “Here, you can overlap these if they’re not long enough,” he said. 

 

Zabuza grunted an affirmative as he took the pile. The boy’s black eyes watched him as he draped the blankets over the mat to his own liking. “I will go down and talk to my uncle,” Haku said gravely to him, “And convince him to let you stay here. I will also start his dinner as that will make him more amenable to my request. Please remain here while I do so.” 

 

Zabuza looked rather amused by the boy’s formal turn of phrase. He was like some grand lady rather than a youth, the swordsman thought to himself as Haku left the room. He plopped himself down on the side of the too-small bed, using it as a chair as he lounged on the quilt in defiance of the road dust covering him. He reached into his belt pouch, and extracted a smoke stick from within it. They were vile black things that stank to high heaven, and he was addicted to them. He stuck it in his mouth and sucked in the smoke in a leisurely fashion, letting it fill his lungs and give him a mild buzz. 

 

He stared at the flowers in the vase on the dresser, musing that the boy must have filled it. Now wasn’t that amusing – the kid filled the vase even in a seldom-used guest room, and had to do it like three times a week as the flowers would wilt quickly. Especially in the summer heat. This Haku really was like a beautiful and grand lady, the swordsman thought with a snort. With that long silky hair, those big, soft black eyes, that porcelain skin…not to mention long, slim hands with painted nails, the pink-and-white silk robe, and the elegant mannerisms and speech...Throw in a musical voice, and it was no wonder that he’d thought that Haku was a girl when he’d first appeared in the street in front of Zabuza. 

 

'Hmm, the best of both worlds,' he thought with a grin around the stick clenched in his teeth. All the beauty and sweetness of a girl in a male package. His groin stirred at this thought, and he reached down to lazily rub at his cock through the fabric of his pants. 

 

A knock sounded at the door that Haku had closed behind him. Zabuza removed his hand from his groin with a silent curse, and growled: “Come in.” 

 

The door swung open, revealing the boy’s uncle standing there. The older man glared at Zabuza, who merely gave him an indifferent look in return. He certainly wasn’t scared of some wiry old guy with a greying head of hair and a lined face, he thought with a sneer. Jenjo folded his arms over his chest as he stared at the reclining swordsman. “Haku has asked that I allow you to stay here,” he said coldly, “And while I’m usually inclined to indulge him because he’s such a good boy, I don’t like the idea of you staying in my house at all. So please leave.”

 

Zabuza looked amused. “What if I say no?” he asked. “You gonna toss me out of here on your own, old man?” he sneered. 

 

Jenjo looked disconcerted. Clearly he’d never imagined that Zabuza would just flat-out refuse to leave. “Look,” the swordsman went on, taking the smoke stick out of his mouth, “The boy wants to find out about his past. The only person who can tell him about it is me, since as far as I know we’re the only two survivors of the massacre of our people. So if I walk out of here now, he’ll never know anything more about the People of the Mist. While I know that you’re his family now, and it was nice of you to take him in like you did, he still wants to know about his first family. Can you blame him?” he added, putting the smoke stick back between his lips. 

 

Jenjo sighed, unfolding his arm slowly. “No,” he said. “But YOU can understand why it is that I don’t want you in my house. My adopted nephew is truly lovely. Men are always hitting on him, trying to flirt with him and woo him. Even when they discover that he’s a boy, many still try to have their way with him. And something tells me that you’ll fall into that category of men.” He eyed Zabuza unhappily. 

 

The swordsman shook his head. “Pops, you worry too much. Sure, I’d love to have at that kid,” he went on as Jenjo stiffened in outrage, “But it’s his choice. I won’t try to force him into my bed. I’ve never taken an unwilling bed partner, and I’m not going to start now. So it’ll be up to Haku. And if he chooses to be with me, you can’t say that I took advantage of him, now can you?” 

 

His logic rather flummoxed the older man. At last he sighed and shrugged. “I can see how much he wants you to stay,” he said. “So I’ll let you do so. My only fear is that his gentle heart will turn your way, and if it does so you’ll hurt him badly when you leave. Men like you ALWAYS leave,” he added bitterly.

 

The swordsman eyed him keenly. “Voice of experience?” he asked shrewdly. “Some guy dump you after having his way with you?” 

 

Jenjo’s mouth worked. “Yes, and he was a wanderer just like you. I loved him – still do, in point fact,” he went on sadly. “Can’t help myself. I just don’t want that for Haku, who is a truly special person. I don’t want him to suffer that sort of pain. So please,” he said to Zabuza, “I’m asking you not to seduce and then abandon the boy. Please don’t be so cruel to the only other survivor of your people.”

 

Zabuza actually found himself flinching a bit at this very palpable hit. He grimaced. “All right,” he growled. “You have my word. I won’t try to talk Haku into my bed. Satisfied?” 

 

Jenjo nodded. “Something tells me that you are honorable enough to keep your word, in spite of appearances,” he said in satisfaction. “That’s all I wanted. You may stay here for as long as Haku wishes you to.”

 

He departed then to his dinner and to tell the boy that his guest would be staying, leaving Zabuza glowering at the far wall as he smoked his stick furiously. Damn it all! The old man had neatly boxed him in. And he would keep his word, for while he was many things, he wasn’t dishonorable. Ah, well. At least he’d have a place to sleep and regular meals. That would have to be good enough. 

 

Haku looked across the table at his uncle, who was eating the meal that he’d prepared. He felt a surge of relief that Jenjo was going to allow Zabuza to stay with them. The older man had seemed adamant about not letting the dangerous man stay in their house, but then his uncle had gone upstairs and said something to Zabuza that had changed his mind. Haku wondered what it had been. But Jenjo had not said and he would not push the matter. He was just glad that the swordsman would be allowed to stay so that he could talk to the other man about their shared past.

 

He smiled a little as Jenjo glanced up at him. The older man’s face softened into a smile as well, for he was glad that Haku seemed so happy. While he was still a little wary of the dangerous man up in the guest bedroom, he sensed that the swordsman would keep his word and leave Haku alone.

 

“This is wonderful, Haku,” he said aloud. “You’re such a good cook.” 

 

“Thank you, Uncle,” the boy beamed. “I put some fresh herbs from the garden in it.” 

 

Jenjo nodded. Haku tended a small vegetable and herb garden in their tiny backyard with loving care. They used the foodstuffs to augment those they bought at the market, since the things that Haku grew tasted better anyway. He had a real green thumb, among other gifts. Jenjo blessed the day that he’d found the big-eyed boy crying by the side of the road, for without Haku to raise and love he would have been an infinitely lonely man. He wanted only the best for Haku; he wanted the boy to find someone to love him and cherish his unique spiritual loveliness. He wanted a special person for Haku; someone who would never take him for granted or be cruel to him. That’s why he’d made Zabuza promise not to try to seduce the lovely boy. The swordsman didn’t seem like the kind of man who would cherish someone like Haku. 

 

After he’d finished eating, Jenjo handed the plate to Haku. The boy carried it into the kitchen to put it in the dish tub. Jenjo pulled out his pipe, and lit it up contentedly. He could hear Haku singing softly to himself in the kitchen, a sweet song that Jenjo recognized as a love ballad. He smiled around his pipe as he leaned back in his chair. He loved evenings at home with Haku; neither drinking in a pub nor visiting a brothel was as satisfying. He seldom went to either kind of place anyway; he wasn’t a big drinker, and having sex for money was just too shallow and unsatisfying for him.

 

He thought of the love of his life with a sad sigh. The man had been a travelling singer, a man of wandering feet and amazing talent. Jenjo had thought that Artan would stay with him if he only loved the other man, but it hadn’t happened. The singer had laughed when Jenjo confessed his love to him, and had gone on packing his bags. “You were a fun interlude, Jenjo,” he‘d said callously, “But it’s over. I’m going on my way now.” 

 

And he’d picked up his bag and departed, leaving Jenjo heartbroken. No, he never wanted something like that to happen to his sweet Haku. The boy deserved so much better than that. He vowed to see that Haku got everything that he could give the boy, for as long as he lived.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haku is starting to have feelings for the wandering swordsman he took in.

Zabuza looked up as the door to his room opened. Haku came in with a tray in his hands. “Sorry I didn’t knock,” he said apologetically to the swordsman, “But my hands are full. I’ve brought you some food and a piece of the cake I made as dessert. Even if you’re not hungry for regular food after I bought you a meal, you can still have the cake,” he carried the tray over to the bed as the swordsman sat up slowly.

 

Zabuza sniffed appreciatively. “Smells good,” he said, letting the boy put the tray over his knees. “You cooked this yourself?” he asked.

 

A nod. “I like to cook for my uncle,” Haku said. 

 

“You’re a regular little housewife, aren’t you?” the swordsman said dryly as he picked up a fork and dug into the food. While he’d eaten a fairly big meal at the restaurant earlier, he was still a bit hungry. It took a lot of food to fill him up.

 

“I suppose you might call me that,” Haku agreed to his statement calmly. “I don’t mind keeping the house for my uncle; in fact, I really like doing housework. It makes me feel relaxed and satisfied. Uncle Jenjo is a good man, but he’s also a bit of a slob,” he went on with a smile, “So if I didn’t take care of him he’d never have a clean shirt to wear. It makes me feel good to pay him back in this way for the wonderful care he’s always given me since I was just a tiny child.” 

 

“Mm,” Zabuza mumbled in reply, for his mouth was full. The food was good; hell, it was fantastic. The kid was a talented creature, he thought as he glanced up at Haku from under his lashes. He regretted his promise to Jenjo yet again, as he imagined that the lovely creature would be just as talented in bed. Seeing the black eyes looking at him, he waved his fork at the plate. “I’m starting to be very happy about taking this deal,” he said to Haku, “If you’re going to be cooking like this every day. I haven’t eaten food this good in years.” 

 

Haku’s lashes lowered modestly. “Thank you,” he said softly. “I’m very glad that you agreed to stay, Zabuza. I don’t remember anything about my family. It will be nice to know something about the life they lived in our village. To know what it would have been like to live as one of the People of the Mist.” 

 

“I’ll tell you everything I can,” the swordsman agreed. “A little at a time,” he went on, “Since I want to stretch this out as long as I can.” He forked another piece of the tender roasted chicken into his mouth. “Can you blame me?” he asked, making Haku laugh softly. 

 

“Of course not,” the boy replied. “And you are welcome to stay for as long as you wish, Zabuza.” 

 

“Don’t say that, I might just decide to stay permanently,” the swordsman said dryly.

 

He didn’t see the odd expression that passed over Haku’s face, and the boy’s words were too soft for him to hear: “Will you? I very much hope so, Zabuza.”

 

 

Zabuza awoke the next day feeling more rested than he had in a long time. A VERY long time, in point of fact. He was used to sleeping on the ground, or on narrow cots that weren’t at all comfortable (and were always too short as well). He sat up on the mat he’d slept on, scrubbing a hand over his face and head. Morning sunlight was filtering though the curtains. He threw back the pile of covers and got to his feet, stretching his very tall frame in a slow, languid manner. He’d slept naked last night, having draped his clothes over the too-small bed. Zabuza scratched at his belly contemplatively, thinking about finding out from Haku if this house had a back courtyard at all where he could practice his swordwork. If not he’d have to do it in the street out front. 

 

There was a knock at the door. He started to call out to tell the person on the other side (most likely Haku) not to come in until he’d dressed, but the door swung open before he could do so. The boy was revealed there, holding a tray of food and smiling in greeting. But that lovely smile faltered and died as the black eyes widened. Haku’s mouth opened as he gaped at the sight of the buck-naked Zabuza standing in the middle of the room. 

 

The swordsman wanted to laugh at the way the boy was goggling at him, the dark gaze taking in the lean, rolling muscles of his torso, and the way his bronzed skin stretched over them. But he lost the urge to guffaw as Haku’s eyes drifted south, arriving at his groin. He heard a sharp intake of breath - and his cock began to harden instantly at the way the lovely boy’s chest heaved as his eyes fastened on Zabuza’s groin.

 

Damn it! He cursed to himself inside his head. He’d promised the boy’s uncle not to try to seduce him, but this was just the kind of situation that didn’t help that resolution at all. Haku stood there frozen, the tray forgotten in his hands, a soft pink color rising in his cheeks as he stared at the cock slowly rising between Zabuza’s powerful thighs. 

 

The sight of that charming color did nothing for the swordsman’s ability to control himself, and he shuddered faintly as he forced himself to close his eyes. If he had to stare at Haku much longer he’d throw his resolution out the window and just take the boy right here and now. “I need to get dressed, kid,” he said.

 

Silence. Then: “Y-yes, of course,” Haku stuttered. “I-I’ll just leave the tray h-here…” there was the soft sound of the tray being set down, then scurrying footsteps. 

 

Zabuza opened his eyes with a sigh, feeling both relief and a certain amount of regret at the empty doorway. He shrugged as he went to get his clothes from the bed. He hadn’t intended that to happen, but he wasn’t going to worry about it either. In point of fact, he felt a certain amount of lazy masculine pride and satisfaction that the lovely boy had obviously been so riveted by the sight of him. He grinned in a cat-like manner as he pulled his clothes on. While he had promised not to seduce Haku, that didn’t mean he couldn’t amuse himself by flirting with the boy a bit… 

 

Haku scurried down the stairs, running into the kitchen. He stood in the middle of it panting, breathless, a shiver wracking his body. Oh, oh! He closed his eyes, one hand clutching at his abdomen. He’d just taken Zabuza up his breakfast, he’d never imagined for a moment that he’d walk in on the man…with nothing on…an image of that tall, powerful body ran through his head, and he moaned softly. His body was throbbing, including his…he blushed, for he’d never felt quite this way before. He refused to look down at the bulge in the front of his pink-and-white robe, let alone touch it to relieve himself. It wasn’t that he thought erections were bad or wrong - his uncle had always told him that it was perfectly fine and natural for a man. It was simply that Haku had always been such a serene creature, so peaceful and calm, that his body’s urges had never manifested themselves in such an insistent way before this. 

 

But now they were. Now his body was making its feelings known in a very insistent way, and he bit his lip as he struggled with the pain and discomfort of his first ever real erection. His hands spasmed as he struggled to control it, but at last one of them twitched and he dropped it down to slide over the silk of his robe toward his groin. His breathing picked up again as his fingers sketched closer and closer…

 

Just before he managed to touch himself so intimately, he heard a familiar voice call out from the hallway: “Haku! Is breakfast ready yet?” 

 

He jumped at his uncle’s voice. His face flamed red at what he’d just been going to do, and he scurried away to get some breakfast for Jenjo. At least he didn’t have to worry about his erection anymore, since it had wilted immediately from embarrassment when his uncle had called out to him.

 

Zabuza ate the food on the tray, finding it to be just as good as dinner last night. The boy was a very good cook. Sated and feeling fine, he strode out of his room with the tray in his hands and made his way to the kitchen. Here he found Haku busily putting some bread in the warm oven to rise. “Hey,” he said, and the boy jumped about a foot in the air. He whirled around, his black eyes rather wide and his cheeks aflame. 

 

Zabuza’s mouth twitched at the sight. “I brought you the tray,” he said, lifting it a little. “And I need to ask you something.” 

 

“W-What?” Haku asked, putting a hand to his breast as he obviously steeled himself for whatever question that the swordsman wanted to ask him. 

 

Zabuza had to fight down the urge to howl with laughter. “I was just wondering…” he said, letting his voice go low and even deeper than normal. His eyelids drifted to half-mast, and a sensual smile curved his lips.

 

Haku had begun to breathe swiftly. Zabuza let the silence drag on for a moment, then went on in a silky voice: “I was just wondering if you…might have…a courtyard in the back where I can practice my sword-work?” the last part of this sentence was asked in a normal tone of voice, and he concealed a grin at the expression on Haku’s face when what he’d said finally registered with the boy.

 

“Of…Of course. It’s not very large, but…” 

 

“Good. Does that door lead out to it?” Zabuza nodded toward the door at the end of the hallway he was standing in. 

 

“Yes,” Haku said.

 

“Great. Once I’m done I’ll be going out to start looking for some temporary work in this town.”

 

Zabuza nodded at Haku and walked off, having thoroughly enjoyed himself befuddling the lovely boy. He stuck his hands in his pockets as he walked off whistling a little to himself. What a pleasant morning this had been so far, he mused.

 

Haku tried to pull himself together once more. For a moment he’d thought that Zabuza was going to…Gods, this was so foolish! He had to stop daydreaming. Why would the swordsman be interested in him anyway? He was just a young, silly boy/girl who wasn’t very exciting. Except…when he’d stood in the doorway of Zabuza’s bedroom, staring at the swordsman’s...manhood, it had been…moving. Jerking as it rose up in the air. Why would it have done that if the man hadn’t been excited? And what would he have been excited about…except for the fact that Haku was standing in his doorway staring at his nakedness? He was so confused. He just didn’t know what to think.

 

He ran a hand over his long hair distractedly. He couldn’t think about this anymore. He had to go with his uncle to open their stall, and then he had to get to work on his artistic projects so that they’d still have something to sell in the next few days. Life had to go on no matter what. So he straightened his shoulders and walked out of the kitchen to accompany his uncle to the marketplace. He deliberately didn’t even glance at the door to the back courtyard as he went. 

 

Zabuza finished his sword-work, wiping at the sweat on his brow with one hand. Then he sheathed his massive sword at his back and went into the house. He diverted briefly into the kitchen to get a drink of water, before he left the house entirely to go looking for a job. He started with the taverns in town, to see if any of them needed a bouncer. A man as big and dangerous-looking as he was could often find work as a bouncer, even before the tavernkeepers found out that he was quite skilled with the sword riding at his back as well. 

 

At the fourth one, the man who owned the place looked him over and agreed that he could use a temporary bouncer, as the man he’d had before had broken his arm breaking up a barfight a few weeks ago. Zabuza accepted the position, not terribly worried about the low pay being offered. His needs were few, especially now that he had free room and board at Haku’s house.

 

He worked his first shift that afternoon, standing patiently by the door with his arms folded over his chest while he glowered at the people in the tavern. His scowl kept trouble at bay, and the tavernkeeper seemed satisfied when Zabuza left in the late afternoon. He strolled through the marketplace, looking over the various things for sale in the stalls. He came to one that sold ribbons, laces, and other furbelows. Here he paused, looking over the goods. “Buy a pretty ribbon for your girl,” the woman in the stall urged him. Zabuza looked at the ribbons. One caught his eye – it was more a hairpiece than a simple ribbon. It was made of soft white feathers, clear crystal beads, and a wide pink ribbon almost the exact color of the robe that Haku wore. He hesitated, staring at it, and then one of his hands dipped into his belt pouch. “I’ll take that one,” he said, nodding at the piece. “How much?”

 

“Three copper coins, sir,” the woman said. The swordsman pulled out the required amount and handed it to her. He took the length of decorated ribbon from her. 

 

“Thanks,” he drawled, walking away.

 

The woman shivered a bit, watching the tall man stride across the marketplace. What a dangerous person! She rather pitied whatever girl was going to receive that bit of ribbon as a gift.

 

Haku handed a painted mask wrapped in white cotton cloth to a merchant who’d just purchased it. The man smiled. “Such lovely work,” he remarked. “My wife will like it very much.” 

 

The boy smiled in return. “I’m glad,” he said simply, and the man admired the beauty of the ‘girl’. The merchant left with his purchase, and Haku started to turn to speak to his uncle. But his eyes caught sight of a familiar tall figure pushing through the crowd toward their stall just then. His heart gave a little leap, and he shivered faintly. 

 

The swordsman came up to him, waving a hand in greeting. He had one of those awful black sticks in his mouth, and he was puffing at it as he greeted the boy. “Hey. How’s business?” 

 

“Very good today,” Haku managed to reply in an even tone of voice. “Did you find work?” 

 

A nod of the spiky head. “Yeah. As a bouncer, not a surprise. Here, I bought you something,” he thrust out a hand, and Haku stared down at it. He saw a length of pink ribbon with some feathers and clear crystals decorating it.

 

“For me?” he repeated, feeling rather breathless again. No one but Jenjo had ever given him a gift before now, although there were some importuning gentlemen who would have if his uncle had not intervened. They only wanted to give him things to get into his ‘pants’. He reached out a slim hand wonderingly to pick the ribbon off of Zabuza’s palm. “Thank you so much,” he said softly. “It’s beautiful.” 

 

The swordsman shrugged a bit. “It’s just a hair ribbon,” he said.

 

Jenjo had watched this exchange with a frown on his face, and he didn’t look happy about his nephew’s response to the gift. Haku lifted his long black tresses and began to tie them up with the ribbon. The feathers and crystals dangled down behind his left ear as he secured it with a bow. “What do you think?” he asked Zabuza, looking up at the taller man out of those soft black eyes. 

 

The swordsman felt a blow to his solar plexus as he looked into the depth of those ebony eyes. Damn it, this boy was hard on his resolution! “It looks great,” he husked, and those soft pink lips parted on a quickening of breath. He could have kissed them here and now, plundered them ruthlessly.

 

Those long black lashes shaded the enormous eyes shyly. “Thank you so much, Zabuza,” the boy whispered, and the swordsman wanted to tell Haku how he’d really like to be thanked.

 

But just then he caught Jenjo’s glower out of the corner of his eye, and he sighed as he replied aloud: “You’re welcome. You guys need any help with your stall? Closing it down or whatever?” 

 

“No, that’s all right,” Jenjo said loudly. “We can do it ourselves.”

 

Zabuza shrugged as Haku shot his uncle a surprised look. “All right then. I’m going to go get a drink. I’ll be back later,” he left and Haku turned to Jenjo. 

 

“Uncle, is something the matter?” he asked quietly. Jenjo hesitated and then sighed. 

 

“Haku, I love you very much, you know that,” he replied seriously. The boy nodded. 

 

“Of course,” he said. 

 

The older man looked at him gravely. “I don’t want you to get hurt,” he began. “I’ve seen his type many times before – he’s a user. He’d take what he wants and then throw you away heartlessly. I couldn’t stand that,” he whispered, his shoulders slumping.

 

Haku understood. He knew about the heartbreak in his uncle’s past, and the man who’d hurt Jenjo so callously. Now the older man feared that Zabuza would do the same to Haku. He touched his uncle’s arm gently. “You do not have to worry about me, Uncle Jenjo,” he said. “I’ll be fine. Even if I were to…give my heart to him, I will go into it with clear eyes. I am aware that he will probably leave, because as you say he is the type of person who does so. So I will not be as badly hurt as you were,” he said, looking into his uncle’s eyes. “I will be practical about this and not expect more than he can give me.”

 

“Oh, child,” Jenjo said unhappily. “You’ve already given your heart to him, haven’t you?” 

 

Haku sighed, his lashes dropping over his eyes. “I do not know,” he replied quietly. “But I do know that certain…other areas of my person respond very strongly to him already. And I fear that if I haven’t given him my heart already, I will soon.”

 

Jenjo swept him up in a hug. “Perhaps if we sent him away…” he said in Haku’s ear. 

 

A shake of the black head. “No, Uncle. I promised him a place to live. And I do not want him to go…” Jenjo shut his eyes and stroked the long dark hair. Oh, Gods. His boy was obviously very far gone over that wretched swordsman already. He feared for the future, but there was nothing he could do. If he tried to force Zabuza to leave his house he’d only make Haku angry and upset. So he would simply have to be there to pick up the pieces after Zabuza left and broke his poor boy’s heart…


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zabuza meets an old friend, a friend who has a curious effect on Jenjo...

abuza leaned against the wall of the tavern, bored out of his skull. It had been a quiet afternoon, with no aggressive drunks for him to have to deal with. He struggled not to yawn as he stared with half-lidded eyes at the patrons of the tavern. At least his shift would soon be over; then he could get the hell out of here and go home. Home. What a strange thought. He hadn’t had a home since he was thirteen years old. Not since he’d walked into his people’s village, to find it a burned-out shell with the bodies of his friends, family, and clan members scattered everywhere. Something in him had died that day, some part of his humanity. He’d become a solitary wanderer not just by choice, but because inside his head and heart he was already alone. When you had lost everything important to you, life didn’t have much meaning anymore. He just kept moving and breathing because he could…and because he wasn’t the type to commit suicide.

 

But already, after having lived there for only a week, Haku and Jenjo’s house was starting to feel eerily like a home to him. It was a strange experience to get up in the mornings and go down to eat breakfast with the older man and the lovely boy, before doing his sword-work in the back courtyard. Then he’d walk with the pair to the marketplace, before veering off to go to work at the tavern. After he got off shift every day, he’d go and have a relaxing drink before escorting Jenjo and Haku back to the house. Then they’d all eat dinner together, and spend the evenings talking, while Haku worked on his crafts and Jenjo counted their take for the day and balanced the books. 

 

Zabuza never bothered to do anything but lounge around and smoke his black sticks, but the other two never objected to his laziness. And two nights so far, he’d told Haku a bit about their people while the boy and Jenjo listened intently. He should have been spooked by his reaction to this situation, but oddly enough Zabuza found himself feeling quite peaceful about his decision to live with Haku and Jenjo. While he continued to feel like this, he didn’t intend to rock the boat in any way. He had it good, far better than he'd had since he was a boy, and he knew it. 

 

Oh, hell, this was much better even than when he'd been a boy. Haku was an extreme caretaker, and Zabuza had found himself being petted and pampered in a way he’d never experienced before in his entire life. The lovely boy cooked his meals, washed and mended his clothes, drew baths for him, cleaned his room and washed his bedding, and made sure that he was provided with all of the little comforts like a brush for his teeth and a comb to try to tame his wild mane of spiky hair. There were always fluffy towels in the bathing room, as well as cakes of scented soap (although he wasn’t sure that he liked smelling like lavender, sandalwood, or roses) and an expensive imported sponge. The boy was like a graceful, beautiful household spirit, flitting around making sure that its other inhabitants were comfortable and well taken care of.

 

Zabuza had amused himself by gently flirting with the boy for the past week or so, just to see Haku blush and retreat behind that gorgeous dark hair. Not that he could retreat as well as he had been able to, since he always wore the hair ribbon that the swordsman had purchased for him in the marketplace. Zabuza sometimes had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach when he saw that confection of pink ribbon, crystals, and lace binding up the boy’s fall of black hair, for Haku obviously adored the gift. Made him want to give the lovely creature other things as well, just to see those black eyes light up in shy pleasure once again. He was saving his pay, now that he didn’t have to worry about room and board, for he had his eye on a length of rose-colored silk with a creamy white border in a stall that catered to well-to-do merchants. 

 

He thought that Haku would look exquisite in a robe made of that stuff, and he knew that the boy could make it himself once he had the material. He’d made the one he was wearing right now, after all. Zabuza shifted and tightened his crossed arms over his chest. It did disturb him a little to realize that he was contemplating buying Haku presents as though he were a girl and the swordsman a swain out to woo him, since that was pretty far from the truth. He didn’t want a wife – or a husband – just someone to warm his bed for awhile. Or at least that’s what he told himself anyway, and it was what he would continue to tell himself for the entire time that he was staying with Jenjo and Haku. If he said it inside of his head firmly enough and often enough, surely he’d eventually come to believe it… 

 

A man entered the tavern, but Zabuza only glanced sideways at him before returning his attention to the other patrons. This man made his way toward the bar, but something about the way he moved caught Zabuza’s attention. The swordsman frowned, sharpening his gaze on the newcomer, seeing the back of a head of dark brown hair with streaks of grey in it. Broad shoulders, a stocky form, a dusty leather tunic and a sword sheathed at his side…Could it be? It didn’t seem possible, but… 

 

He straightened up and started toward the bar. People got out of his way hurriedly, for his reputation had already been consolidated among the frequenters of this tavern. He heard a deep, cheerful voice saying to the bartender: “I’ll have a glass of ale, please, mine good host.”

 

It WAS him! Zabuza walked up behind the other man swiftly and silently, and clapped him on the shoulder. The newcomer jumped about a foot in the air at this unexpected blow and whirled around, his hand going for his sword. “Don’t pull that in here, Darryx, or I’ll have to cut you a second smile,” the swordsman said coolly. 

 

This threat didn’t have the expected result. The older man blinked up at him and then a grin split his face, “Zabuza! Hey, it’s been a long time kid!” he cried merrily, clapping the taller man on the arm in turn. “What are you doing here?” 

 

“Working,” Zabuza replied succinctly. “As a bouncer,” he added in explanation. 

 

“Ahh. Well, it is very good to see you. It really has been a long time – almost a decade, eh? Since I saw you last.”

 

The swordsman nodded in agreement to this statement. “My shift is almost over, so drink your ale and then we can talk,” he told the older man.

 

A nod of the graying head. “Sure thing. It’ll be good to talk to an old friend,” he turned back to the bar to collect his drink as Zabuza went back to his post by the door. The man called Darryx snagged a table near Zabuza and drained his glass of ale in about three gulps. Then he sighed contentedly as he leaned back in his chair. A pair of friendly brown eyes gazed at the tall swordsman, and after a short time he began to pull faces at Zabuza to crack him up. It was an old game with them – Darryx had an impish sense of humor, and he’d always teased Zabuza about being  
basically humorless. He’d made it his mission to get the taller man to laugh once in awhile, and occasionally he'd even succeeded.

 

They’d met several months after the tragedy that had befallen Zabuza’s village. Darryx was a wandering mercenary swordsman, a genial soul who’d taken to the silent, shell-shocked, furiously angry boy he’d first met in a small square in a village on a trade road. Zabuza had not wanted to be befriended; in his opinion, caring about people only got you hurt. He’d scowled at Darryx continually, but had accepted the man’s offer of food because he had been stealing to keep from starving. He’d been pretty thin anyway, as what he'd caught hunting and had stolen with his meager thieving skills had been the only food he'd gotten anymore. Darryx had taught him the way of the mercenary, had helped him to sharpen his skill with a sword and had showed him the best places to sleep and get a meal.

 

He’d fed the skinny boy in spite of the fact that the half-feral Zabuza had repaid his kindness with snarls and insults. He was a surprisingly patient man, and over time had gotten the boy to unbend around him a bit. He had even wormed the story of the massacre of the People of the Mist out of Zabuza, and had concealed his compassion and sympathy because he knew that the boy did not want and would not accept them. 

 

Darryx had been his mentor while he was growing up, and only after they’d finally parted company had Zabuza realized just how much that the older man had done for him. He might not even have survived on his own. He owed Darryx a lot, but the other man would never accept payment for what he’d done for Zabuza. All of these thoughts slid through Zabuza’s head as he tried to ignore the gargoyle-like grimace that Darryx was directing his way. It occurred to him that as Jenjo was to Haku, Darryx had always been to him. A father figure, a friend when he’d needed it, and a man wise enough to know when to let him go when he was ready to venture out on his own. 

 

Now they had met again, here in this place – and it didn’t feel like a coincidence to Zabuza. Here he was experiencing his first taste of ‘home’ since he’d been thirteen years old, and the man who could have been called his father had shown up in the place where he worked! 

 

His shift was finally done. Zabuza unfolded himself and went over to Darryx’s table. “Let’s talk,” he said, folding his long frame upon a chair.

 

Darryx grinned at him. “Sure. Let’s catch up, eh? Not that I have anything exciting to tell you – life’s pretty much the same it always was for me. Although,” he shook his head ruefully, “I’m getting a little too old to be a wanderer anymore. Or a warrior for that matter. I’d like to find a place to settle down and a nice man to settled down with. Not that that’s likely,” he said with a sigh, resting his chin on his hand. “How about you?” 

 

Zabuza began to tell him about his chance encounter with one of his own people, a lovely boy who’d survived the massacre just as he had. Darryx’s brows rose to hear this. “Astonishing,” he said. “That after all this time you’d find someone else from your people. Still, I’m glad to hear that. He sounds like a nice boy, this Haku.” 

 

“Sweet,” Zabuza replied before he could stop himself. “He’s sweet.” 

 

Darryx blinked, then his grin widened. “Sweet, then. Sounds like you’ve gotten yourself in a good situation, Zabuza. If you’re smart you’ll try to keep it for as long as you can.” 

 

“Yeah,” the swordsman hesitated, then asked: “Would you like to meet him?” 

 

“Who? Your Haku?” Darryx replied. “Sure, why not? I’d love to.”

 

Zabuza would have objected to Darryx’s using the term ‘your Haku’, but the older man was already rising to his feet with his usual vigor. “Come on, then, and introduce me to this lovely paragon of virtue. I can’t wait to meet the youngster who’s ‘tamed the beast’.” He threw a laughing glance at Zabuza, who scowled at him. Darryx guffawed as they left the tavern together. “That’s the kid I remember,” he teased genially. “Always scowling and giving me dark looks. Afraid that I’d taken him in so that I could have my wicked way with him,” he waggled his eyebrows in an absurd manner at the taller man.

 

Zabuza grunted as he stuck one of his black sticks in his mouth and lit it up. “And why shouldn’t I have made that assumption? You like men, and you were twenty-five years older than me when we met…of course I just assumed that you were some pedophile pervert out to ream my ass in exchange for a little food.” 

 

A snort. “You always have looked at the dark side of everything, haven’t you Zabuza? Not that I can really blame you,” he added with a sideways glance at the taller man. “Considering what happened to you. It's understandable.” 

 

 

Zabuza didn’t reply to this statement. Even after all this time he still didn’t want anyone’s pity or sympathy. What had been couldn’t be changed now, and brooding over it wouldn’t accomplish anything. It certainly wouldn’t bring his family back. Darryx seemed to sense his mood and shut up, so that the two of them were silent as they threaded their way through the crowds in the busy marketplace. Finally, they approached the stall that belonged to Jenjo and Haku. Zabuza could see the lovely boy sitting behind the wooden counter, daintily painting features on a porcelain mask. 

 

For some reason he felt a ripple of excitement over the fact that his old friend and mentor was going to meet Haku. He picked up his pace a bit unconsciously, hurrying through the crowds toward the stall. He heard an appreciative whistle beside him. “You do have good taste, Zabuza,” Darryx said in a low voice to him. “He’s the prettiest thing I think I’ve ever seen. I can see why many people think he’s a girl.”

 

“Yeah,” the swordsman was torn between feeling oddly proud that Darryx thought Haku pretty, and also feeling a lance of something surprisingly like possessive jealousy run through him. His friend preferred other men as bed companions after all, and his personality was far better than Zabuza’s. What if Haku was taken in by Darryx’s charm and affability? Had it been a mistake to bring him here? 

 

Well, it was too late to back out now. The boy had already looked up and seen them approaching. His black eyes lit up when he saw Zabuza, and a truly stunning smile graced his lips as he rose to his feet eagerly to greet them. He barely even looked at Darryx, the swordsman was relieved to note. 

 

“Zabuza. Good evening. You’re done with work?” the lovely boy asked.

 

“Yes. And I brought someone to meet you. An old friend of mine showed up today in the tavern that I work at. Darryx, this is Haku. Haku, Darryx.” 

 

The boy turned toward the older man, extending one slim hand. “It is very nice to meet a friend of Zabuza’s, Darryx,” he said with those exquisite good manners of his. “You are most welcome here.”

 

The older man took the slim appendage and bowed over it slightly. “And its very good to meet the young man that Zabuza has already told me so much about. He didn’t do you justice, however,” he added admiringly. 

 

Haku turned faintly pink but smiled at him. Zabuza scowled, not liking this at all. Just then Jenjo came out of the back of the stall carrying some lovely scarves that Haku had embroidered. He came to a halt when he saw a man holding Haku’s hand and a frown moved over his face. “Hello,” he said, stepping up beside the boy. “Can I help you at all?” 

 

A pair of twinkling brown eyes met his. “Not really. I just came to meet your lovely nephew here. Zabuza told me all about him. But…” he went on, those eyes suddenly agleam with interest, “He didn’t tell me about YOU. What’s your name, pretty one?” 

 

Jenjo gaped at him. Being called ‘pretty’ by a stranger, and moreover one who was still holding his nephew’s hand, had totally taken him aback. Zabuza also looked rather pole-axed at this turn of events, while Haku was looking back and forth between his uncle and the strange man in bewilderment. No one had ever called Jenjo ‘pretty’ before, not even when he’d been young and rather attractive. Now he was a dried-up old man, embittered by his lost love and his painful past. To his astonishment, he felt his face turning rather red. “My name is Jenjo,” he snapped to cover his confusion. “And you are?” his voice was frigid, but this didn’t deter the bearded man at all. 

 

“Darryx. It's very nice to meet you Jenjo. I am most definitely going to have to come and visit my friend Zabuza at home now. Have a little reunion. See where he’s living and so forth. I’m looking forward to seeing…everything,” the insinuation in his voice was clear, and his eyes drifted down the front of Jenjo’s tunic in a decidedly insolent manner. To his horror, Jenjo felt his body begin to stir as that warm brown gaze raked him. He found himself unable to move, frozen in place as a sexy, good-looking man of about his own age stared at him like he were a succulent piece of meat to be devoured. His heart was thundering in his chest, and he found himself panting a little for breath. Distantly he wondered if he were having a heart attack – but he suspected that it was some other malady of the heart altogether...


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jenjo's getting flustered...

Jenjo poured tea into four cups, trying not to spill any of it because his hands kept shaking so badly. His nerves were on edge - and it was all the fault of the man sitting beside Zabuza on the sofa across from him and Haku. This Darryx was merrily chatting with the tall swordsman, and seemed not the least bit interested in the man serving the fragrant tea that Haku had made for them. But somehow Jenjo still seemed to feel the weight of his eyes, even though whenever he looked up Darryx was still engrossed in his conversation with Zabuza. It was enough to put anyone on edge, and he had the strong urge to just excuse himself and flee to his room to hide, rather than playing the good host to this old friend of the wandering swordsman’s.

 

Haku glanced sideways at his uncle, concern in his dark eyes. The older man was reacting very strangely to this Darryx - he’d never seen Jenjo act this way before around anyone else. His uncle seemed flustered and all out-of-sorts, and the boy couldn’t forget the way that Jenjo had turned a dull red when the older mercenary had been staring at him earlier at the stall. He’d known that his adopted uncle hadn’t wanted to invite Darryx to their house, but had felt that it would be rude not to do so. So he’d marched stiffly beside Haku when they’d come home, refusing to give any attention to the man strolling beside Zabuza. And now he was staring at the teapot mostly, except when he kept darting glances at the older swordsman from under his lashes. 

 

Haku wondered what to do. He didn’t want to try to talk to Jenjo lest it distract his uncle even more, and Zabuza was intently talking to Darryx. It made the boy feel rather left out, and he wasn’t aware of the fact that his black eyes had a rather forlorn expression in them as he stared across at the two men on the other couch. But Darryx noticed, and realized that they were being rude. He knew that Zabuza would never understand that, since the tall swordsman had very few manners whatsoever. So he nudged his former protégé sharply in the side as he turned to speak to Haku. Zabuza grunted and shot him an annoyed, bewildered look for this action, clearly wondering what the hell had gotten into him. “This is a very nice house, Haku, Jenjo,” Darryx commented to the two men.

 

The older man set the teapot down with a thunk on the table, drawing in a deep breath of relief that he hadn’t spilled the tea or broken the pot. He still didn’t look up at the other man, however; he stared at the hands entwined in his lap intently. It made Darryx’s lips twitch a bit as he realized just how uncomfortable and flustered he made Jenjo. “Thank you, Darryx,” the boy replied with his exquisite good manners. 

 

“So it was just the two of you until Zabuza here moved in?” he slapped the taller swordsman on the thigh heartily, earning him a black-eyed look from Zabuza.

 

“Yes, that’s right. My uncle and I lived here alone,” Haku said.

 

“Hmm. So no woman to keep you company? I’m surprised that your uncle isn’t married,” He stared at Jenjo as he said this, hoping for a response from the other man. 

 

“Oh, well, I…” Haku trailed off, uncertain how to respond to this comment. Zabuza took the black stick out of his mouth and remarked dryly: “He’s not married to a woman because he prefers men, Darryx. Like you.” 

 

Darryx wondered if kicking the taller swordsman in the ankle would do anything for him. Well, it would make him feel better at least. He sighed. His little gambit had just flown out the window because of Zabuza’s big mouth. He could clearly see yet another faint blush rising in Jenjo’s cheeks. But he tried to get back on track somewhat. “Oh? I’m just as surprised that he’s not married to another man then.” Darryx said casually. 

 

“You’re not married,” Zabuza pointed out dryly. “And you’re old.”

 

Oh, that was it! Darryx glowered at his former protégé. “Boy, I’m not so old that I couldn’t give you a run for your money with a blade.” 

 

Zabuza’s black eyes narrowed in satisfaction. “Prove it,” he growled. 

 

“I will, tomorrow. For now, you know that I’m not married because I haven’t wanted to settle down with anyone before this. But the truth is…” he said earnestly to the listening Haku, “That I’d like to find a good man and settle down now that I’ve reached my middle years. I’m tired of traveling, and having no place to call home nor any man to call my own. Being a wandering mercenary is a game fit only for the younger folk like Zabuza here.” 

 

He put an elbow into the taller swordsman’s side yet again and was satisfied to hear a grunt as it connected. “Oh,” Haku glanced at his uncle again, seeing that Jenjo was listening intently even though he was still studying his own intertwined hands. “Then you mean to give up wandering?” he asked.

 

Darryx nodded. “You bet. I just have to find the right person,” he added, his brown eyes fixed intently on Jenjo as he said this. “Once I do, I’ll be happy to settle down with him for the rest of whatever remains of my life.”

 

Jenjo took in a sharp breath that Haku heard. Suddenly the boy understood – his uncle was enamored of this Darryx, but he was afraid to show his interest because of what had happened in his younger days. Haku knew of the heartbreak that had kept his uncle from loving anyone else romantically ever since the day that his lover had left him, and the boy felt a rush of excitement. He wanted Jenjo to be happy; no one deserved it more after the loving care and attention he’d always lavished on the orphan boy he’d taken in. And because he trusted Zabuza implicitly, Haku just knew that any man who had helped to raise and nurture him must be a good one. This Darryx would take care of Jenjo, and wouldn’t desert him like his other lover had. He became determined then and there to promote this romance in whatever way that he could. “I’m sure that you have much catching up to do with Zabuza,” he said aloud. “So I was thinking –couldn’t he stay for a few days with us, Uncle Jenjo?”

 

Darryx’s eyes began to twinkle as he realized that the lovely boy was firmly in his court. Jenjo had looked alarmed when the boy spoke, and his blue eyes rose to meet the black ones that pleaded with him. His mouth opened to refuse, and Darryx interjected smoothly: “It’s all right, Haku. I don’t want to put you gentlemen out. I’ll stay at the cheapest inn this town has got for a few days while I catch up with Zabuza. Then I guess I’ll be on my way,” his voice was faintly sad, and Jenjo’s head turned a bit as he looked at the older swordsman out of the corner of his eye. 

 

“Oh, but you must stay here!” Haku protested. “The cheapest inn in town is not very good…” he went on, looking unhappy. That inn was, in point of fact, a fleabag place so dirty that even the bedbugs disdained to stay in it. Moreover, it was in a dangerous part of town. Not that Darryx couldn’t defend himself, but to let him spend even a few copper coins on such a terrible place when this house had yet another guest room…that would be rude and unkind of him both. 

 

And while Jenjo could sometimes be rude he was not unkind. He sighed. “You are quite welcome to stay here, Darryx,” he said. “We have an extra guest room next door to Zabuza’s. You may sleep there at night while you’re staying in town.” 

 

“Are you sure?” the older swordsman asked, trying to conceal his glee.

 

“Of course. Any friend of Zabuza’s is welcome in my house,” Jenjo didn’t sound very happy to be saying this, but Darryx wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Especially when it meant that he got to sleep in the same house as the adorable Jenjo, as well as his friend Zabuza. So he replied gravely: “I would be happy to stay here, Jenjo. Thank you.”

 

Jenjo twitched a little, but simply began to hand out the cups of tea. Zabuza scowled at his like he thought it might be poisoned, while Darryx drank his with a gleam in his brown eyes. He was quite happy about the way things were turning out. Haku felt the same way, for he hoped mightily that if the man were staying in their house he might be able to get past the walls that Jenjo had thrown up around himself after his lover left him. The boy thought that Darryx might be able to do that; he seemed a resourceful and intelligent man. He prayed to any Gods that might be listening that the swordsman could pull off romancing the prickly and bitter Jenjo. He’d do anything he could to help… 

 

 

After dinner, which Darryx ate with enthusiasm while praising Haku’s cooking to the skies, Zabuza took his friend up the stairs to show him the room he’d be sleeping it. The older man dropped his pack on the bed and began to open it, as Zabuza leaned on the doorway and stared at him with narrowed black eyes. “Darryx? Can I ask just what in the hells is going on here?” The tall swordsman demanded after a moment. 

 

The older man stopped in his unpacking and glanced over his shoulder at Zabuza. “It should be obvious,” he replied merrily. “I’m going to jump into Jenjo’s bed and stay there. Looks like I’m finally going to tie the knot, kid,” he went on with satisfaction as Zabuza gaped at him.

 

“Don’t you think that Jenjo might have something to say about that?” he asked sardonically when he could speak again. 

 

A shake of the head. “Nope. Well, he might have something to say, but I’m going to ignore whatever it is. Until he gives in and accepts me that is,” the swordsman replied happily.

 

Zabuza shook his spiky head. “And you really think that he’ll marry you?” the black-eyed man demanded. 

 

A nod. “Of course he will. I won’t give him any other choice,” Darryx replied stoutly. He turned around with a handful of tunics to meet those incredulous black eyes. “Maybe you don’t understand this, kid, because you’ve never wanted to settle down somewhere with a person who will care for you. But the only thing that I want right now is someplace to call home, and the thing that he needs is someone to claim his heart and take him by storm. So I’m going to give him what he needs, and he’ll give me what I want in return. It’s a simple equation,” he carried the tunics over to the dresser to put them in the top drawer. 

 

A snort. “Better you than me, Darryx,” Zabuza commented. 

 

The older man turned and leaned his back against the dresser, crossing his arms over his chest as he met those black eyes. “Oh? So you’ve never thought about settling down with someone to love you? Not even the very pretty boy down in the kitchen? You’ll never find anyone better, Zabuza, so if you give that up you’ll be both crazy and stupid,” Darryx said acidly. 

 

The taller swordsman scowled at him. “I like the boy, but that doesn’t mean anything,” he returned coolly.

 

“Of course,” Darryx replied sardonically. “You just keep telling yourself that, Zabuza. And when you’re a lonely old man still wandering the roads like a lost soul, you can think about how you might have had something better once upon a time,” he shrugged his shoulders and went back to his unpacking. “But I can’t make you change your mind, of course, so I won’t try,” he remarked over his shoulder. “You’re far too stubborn for ME to make any headway. So I’ll just leave it to you to foul up your own life.”

 

Zabuza glared at his friend’s turned back. This was none of Darryx’s business, but like normal he chose to stick his nose into it anyway. He really did like Haku; and of course he was sexually attracted to the boy as well. But that didn’t mean anything. And when it was time for him to go, he’d pack his bags and leave without a backward glance. Of course he would. This was all just stupidity on the part of his sentimental friend. Zabuza didn’t need anyone; he never had and he never would.

 

 

Jenjo stared moodily into his tea cup. Lord, whatever had possessed him to offer that man a place in his house! He should have just let Darryx go to the inn. Instead he would have to put up with the swordsman living with them, eating with them, and always being around until such time as he chose to leave. And he WOULD leave; men like him always did. It was only a matter of time. He set the cup back down and wandered out into the hallway, thinking that he would go and clean up the sitting room while Haku did the dishes. It would be nice to have something to do to take his mind off of their unwanted visitor.

 

He straightened the cushions, dusted, and wiped down the wooden furniture with a soft chamois cloth. Soon he found himself falling into a rhythm, and his mind forgot for awhile the enticing stranger who had invaded his house. He was beating out the small pillows on the couches and chairs when a voice spoke from somewhere close behind him: “You’d make someone a nice little househusband, Master Jenjo.” He jumped about a foot in the air, then whirled around with one hand to his breast to see Darryx standing behind him smiling. 

 

Oh, that wicked smile! And the way those brown eyes danced with merriment and a sly gleam as well. A gleam that made his stomach tie itself into knots and his hands shake. “Y-You scared me!” he blurted, then felt like a fool. Darryx looked remorseful. 

 

“Sorry about that. I just didn’t want to disturb you when you were so busy. Then I figured that you knew that I’d come in, but I guess you were so busy you didn’t hear me.” 

 

Jenjo took a deep breath as he tried to get himself under control again. “That is fine. Is there something you wanted, Master Darryx?” he asked as calmly as he could. 

 

“Actually, yes. There’s something I want very, very much,” the swordsman’s voice had gone soft and hypnotic. Jenjo felt his nerves catching fire at the way these words were spoken. 

 

He gulped, struggling to speak at all. “What is it that you want?” he asked in a wavering voice. 

 

A chuckle. “Just this,” Darryx began, the tones of his own voice going low and deep. It seemed to the befuddled Jenjo that that voice was caressing his skin. “I want…you…” Jenjo gasped, his blue eyes flying to those gleaming brown ones. “To tell me where I can purchase a small whetstone,” the swordsman went on easily. Jenjo blinked at him in noncomprehension, and Darryx’s lips twitched. “I need a new one, as mine is going dull,” he explained. “I’ve got to keep my blade sharp, so that I can stick it into people when it’s necessary,” he added with an obvious insinuation in his voice. “So where can I get one, Jenjo?” 

 

“Oh. Umm, there’s a shop that sells them a few blocks from here,” the other man managed to say. “I will show it to you in the morning.”

 

A charming grin. “Thanks. I’m looking forward to having you…show me,” he winked at the poor confused Jenjo, then strolled out of the room with his hands in his pockets as he whistled a lively tune.

 

 

 

Jenjo wondered if he was going mad. After only as few days of this Darryx living in his house, he felt like he was losing his mind. The man just would not leave him alone! Of course, the swordsman’s techniques were subtle so he could never point to even one incidence in which Darryx had ever outright propositioned him – or even flirted with him. No, he just appeared to be friendly and helpful, nothing more. And he was definitely just as charming to Haku as he was to Jenjo himself, so he couldn’t say anything about that either. But he knew that the swordsman was deliberately coming on to him every chance that he got, albeit in ways that made it appear as though he were just having a friendly conversation with Jenjo.

 

Also, he took every opportunity to touch the other man, again making them seem like casual brushes that couldn’t be avoided. All of this combined to make poor Jenjo feel like his head was spinning – and it was affecting other areas of his body in a profound way too. He hadn’t minded his long period of celibacy since his lover deserted him much before this(or at least that’s what he told himself anyway), but now whenever Darryx touched him even casually he felt like his nerves were catching on fire. 

 

Worse, he was waking up at night from intense dreams featuring the sexy swordsman - many of them wet dreams. He was afraid that Haku would notice how often he was changing his sheets these days, so he’d taken to sneaking them out of the house and washing them himself. He would be too embarrassed to live if his adopted nephew realized that he was ejaculating all over his sheets at night. He’d never be able to look Haku in the eye again if the boy found out. 

 

Yes, he was definitely losing his mind. And it was all because of that wretched stranger who’d taken up residence in his house, and seemed intent on working him up into a frenzy. There was no getting away from the man. He came downstairs every morning with Zabuza to eat breakfast with them, and his hand often brushed Jenjo’s while he was reaching for a plate or the coffee pot. Then he’d accompany them to the stall in the marketplace, chattering with all three of them cheerfully. Haku had really taken to the man, and Darryx obviously returned this liking. He seemed to enjoy making the boy blush by gently complimenting him, a fact which made Zabuza scowl heartily. 

 

The tall swordsman seemed to be somewhat jealous of his friend/mentor’s relationship with Haku. Or maybe it just made him mad that Darryx was allowed to compliment the boy although he himself was not. He still seemed to be trying to keep his promise to Jenjo, for which the older man was grateful. But Jenjo didn’t have to worry that the older swordsman was after Haku, for he was clearly only interested in one person… 

 

Jenjo couldn’t help but be a tad flattered (although he’d never admit that aloud, of course) that the handsome, charming Darryx was so obviously interested in him. If only he could trust a man like this…if he could have, he knew that he’d end up giving his heart into the other man’s keeping. But he’d learned well from his heartbreak – men like Darryx just could not be trusted to stick around. Sooner or later he’d go on his merry way, leaving Jenjo crushed in his wake. That’s why he couldn’t let himself grow to care for this man, or to give in to his burgeoning desire for Darryx. He just could not – so he would have to fight it with all that he had.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the repeat chapter before. Thanks to Sevensocks for pointing out my error - your author works a night shift, and sometimes when I post I'm pretty tired. Anyhoo, here's the latest chapter, for real this time. Darryx wins the day!

But it was so hard! In so many ways, Jenjo thought moodily as he sat in the stall one day about a week after Darryx’s arrival. Haku was sewing on a length of silk cloth, embroidering it with fanciful animals and flowers. He looked peaceful and beautiful as he leaned over his work. The boy didn’t have the same worries he did, Jenjo mused. Although he greatly feared that one day soon Haku would, for despite the fact that Zabuza was keeping his promise the boy's eyes still lit up whenever the tall man came anywhere near him. He knew that look – and while it saddened him there was nothing he could do about it. The boy would end up giving his whole heart to that demon of a swordsman, and the bastard would desert him callously. Then Jenjo would have to pick up the pieces, and would have to watch his poor Haku suffer as he once had.

 

But if he ordered Zabuza out of his house and the town (if he could do that anyway, since the man didn’t have to leave the city proper even if he’d been kicked out of Jenjo’s house) that would accomplish nothing. He suspected that if he did that then Haku would leave with Zabuza, that he’d lose the boy altogether. And he didn’t want that to happen, not only because he loved the boy, but when Zabuza finally left he wanted to be there for Haku when it happened. He didn’t want the boy to be left at the side of the road alone again, as he had when he was just a tiny child. At least if the swordsman remained in his house, when Zabuza finally did go Haku would have Jenjo to care for him while he got over his heartbreak. 

 

If he ever did. Jenjo sighed and ran a hand over the tail of sandy-blonde hair behind his head. He could admit to himself at least that he’d never quite gotten over what his former lover had done to him. He had become mistrustful, bitter, and closed-off in the wake of his heartbreak. Witness this situation with Darryx – if he could just relax and take what the other man was offering, who knew what might happen? But he just couldn’t. He was too afraid of going through that much pain again, of having his heart torn apart once more.

 

He rubbed a hand over his face wearily, for he wasn’t getting as much sleep as he would have liked lately because of those steamy dreams he kept having. “Are you all right, Uncle?” He heard Haku ask in concern.

 

“Yes, I’m fine, Haku. I’m just a bit tired. I didn’t sleep very well last night,” the older man replied as he dropped his hand. 

 

Those big black eyes were staring at his face, and he managed to conjure up a reassuring smile for the boy. Haku studied him for a moment longer, then nodded and went back to his sewing. “I must remember,” he commented idly, “To have Darryx give me any clothes he has that need mending.” 

 

Jenjo grunted in reply to this. The boy fell silent for a moment and then said quietly: “Uncle Jenjo, you really ought to admit that you like him, you know.”

 

Stunned silence. Jenjo’s head flew up as he stared wide-eyed at his adopted nephew. Haku lifted his own head from his sewing once more, and his black eyes were steady as he turned them on Jenjo. “W-What?!” the older man stuttered.

 

Haku shook his head sadly. “It’s obvious that you’re attracted to Darryx,” he said softly, “But I know why you won’t admit it either to yourself or to him. You’re afraid,” his voice was soft but implacable and the older man felt his guts twist inside of himself. “You’re scared that if you come to care for him, he’ll leave like that other man did. Yes, I remember,” he went on as Jenjo gaped at him in utter astonishment. “How could I not? I wasn’t very old, but even a little child remembers when the man who is raising him and loves him spends all of his time crying. Moreover, I have vague memories of that minstrel – he sang songs to us, and he used to make me laugh all the time. You laughed too, Uncle, until the day he left. Then you were sad all the time. It was years after that before you laughed again.”

 

He looked down at the sewing set in his lap, his eyes full of sadness. “I hated him,” he admitted, shocking Jenjo. Haku had never hated anyone in his short life, or so the older man had always thought until now. “I hated him for what he did to you. And by extension what he did to me. One day I had a merry, kind, and happy uncle who laughed all the time. The next he was gone, and that same uncle had become angry and sad and miserable. I used to wish that something terrible would happen to him – that the Gods would punish him by striking him mute or crushing his hands so that he couldn’t play or sing anymore.”

 

“Haku,” Jenjo breathed. “I had no idea that you remembered that much about it – I tried not to be sad around you…” he went on guiltily. 

 

“I know,” the boy smiled gently at him. “Even in your grief and pain you always tried your best for me. I will never forget that, Uncle Jenjo. I will always know what I owe you.” 

 

Jenjo wiped at his eyes a bit. “You don’t owe me anything,” he said hoarsely. “Because if I hadn’t had you to take care of, I probably would have ended my life when he left me. But I couldn’t do that, since you needed me. And over time I’ve grown glad of that fact, since to kill myself because of that wretch would have been the stupidest thing I could have done. He definitely wasn’t worth that…” 

 

“He wasn’t worth anything,” Haku replied with a surprising firmness. “Certainly not your years of yearning, Uncle Jenjo. That’s why you should forget him entirely and move on with your life. With Darryx,” he added, looking at his adopted relative challengingly.

 

Taken aback, Jenjo didn’t know quite what to say to this. “I…” he began, his shoulders hunching. “I can’t,” he continued rather mournfully. 

 

“Why not?” Haku asked, those black eyes seeming to bore into his.

 

“Because…I’m afraid,” Jenjo admitted in a soft voice. He dropped his own gaze to his lap, and the hands that were twisted together there. “I’m so afraid…if I do let him into my heart, I’m terrified that he’ll break it. That he’ll leave me. If he does, I don’t think I could stand it….” 

 

A hand touched his arm, and he looked up into Haku’s compassionate gaze. “You must trust someone sometime, Uncle,” the boy said gently. “Or you’re only alternative will be that you’ll become a lonely old man with no one but me to care for you. And I’m not enough,” he added as Jenjo opened his mouth to protest, “I can’t be all the things a lover could be for you. You deserve someone special, Uncle Jenjo. We all do. Perhaps Darryx could be that special person? And maybe…maybe he really does mean to do what he says and settle down with someone? If that is so, why shouldn’t that someone be you?” 

 

Jenjo stared at him silently. Then he replied slowly: “Perhaps you are right, child. I’ll think about it, I promise.” 

 

Haku’s smile was loving, his black eyes full of hope. “That’s all I can ask, Uncle,” he replied before returning to his sewing once more.

 

Darryx and Zabuza were walking together toward the marketplace that evening to escort Jenjo and Haku home. The older swordsman had gotten work as a guard for a wealthy merchant in town, and he got off-shift at almost the same time that Zabuza did. So he’d swing by the bar before accompanying the taller swordsman to the marketplace each evening. “Where are we going?” he asked as Zabuza turned from their normal route and made his way through the evening crowds toward a stall in one of the more upscale positions.

 

“I have to get something,” the younger man replied over his shoulder.

 

Darryx shrugged and went with him, seeing that the stall Zabuza was heading for was one that sold bolts of cloth and lengths of very fine laces and ribbons. The tall man walked up to the person manning this booth, who visibly quailed as the dangerous-looking man scowled down at him. “W-What do you want?” he gulped. “Please leave before I call the guards!”

 

“I want to buy something,” the swordsman growled. 

 

The man looked skeptical. Clearly he didn’t think that Zabuza could afford his wares. 

 

“And what would that be?” he asked challengingly. The tall man pointed at a bolt of rose-colored silk with a creamy edging. The merchant’s jaw dropped, for that was one of his more expensive pieces of cloth. “I’m afraid that you cannot afford that…” he began.

 

Zabuza glowered at him even as the swordsman pulled a full leather bag from his belt. “That should be enough,” he said, tossing it onto the counter. 

 

The merchant picked it up and opened the drawstring, still looking skeptical. As he began to count the money inside, Darryx edged up to his younger friend. “For the boy?” he asked out of the corner of his mouth.

 

Zabuza nodded. “So that he can make himself a new robe,” he explained.

 

Darryx merely stared at him for a moment, and then grinned widely. “Ahh,” was all he said, but Zabuza eyed him in a disgruntled manner. 

 

“What’s so funny?” he demanded. 

 

“Oh, nothing. Nothing at all,” the older swordsman replied cheerfully. “I’m sure that he’ll love it.” 

 

A scowl was directed at him, but he ignored it. He watched as the merchant finished counting the money, and then turned to pull the bolt of cloth down off of the rack. “Was there enough?” Zabuza asked sardonically.

 

“Yes, Sir. In fact, there’s more than enough,” the merchant said with far more respect in his voice. He turned back to lay the bolt on the counter. “I’ll get your change for you…” he added. 

 

“No. Give me as much of that ribbon there as I can get for what’s left over,” Zabuza said, nodding at a bobbin of ribbon that was a deep rose color. It would match the cloth and make a lovely edging. 

 

“Very well, Sir,” the merchant said, turning to begin measuring out the ribbon.

 

Darryx snickered, making Zabuza turn a black look on him that didn’t faze the older man one little bit. Finally, Zabuza’s purchases were carefully wrapped up and handed over. He took them and turned away, Darryx walking beside him. The older man’s brown eyes were twinkling merrily, and his lips kept twitching. 'So much for his ‘I’ll just leave he means nothing to me’ motto' the swordsman thought to himself gleefully. 'Buying gifts for the boy like a man purchasing pretty things for his wife. Heh,' But he kept these thoughts to himself, since he wasn’t stupid enough to get Zabuza mad at him. Or at least not really mad anyway. Ticked off was a good bit different from homicidally angry, and he generally knew when to cross the line and when not to. 

 

They approached the stall which Jenjo and Haku were busily closing up for the night. The older man saw them first, and paused in tying down the tarp that covered the stall to protect it from rain and night mists. A strange look passed over his face when he saw Darryx, and the swordsman wondered about it. But then it was gone, and he spoke to Haku. The boy turned toward them, his black eyes lighting up when he saw Zabuza. Although he greeted Darryx politely, he had eyes only for the tall swordsman. 

 

Zabuza hesitated for a second, then thrust the things he’d bought at the boy. “These are for you,” he growled, making Darryx roll his eyes.

 

'Smooth, very smooth' he thought wryly. 

 

The boy took the paper wrapped things, looking at them in puzzlement. “What is it, Zabuza?” he asked.

 

“Just open it,” the swordsman snarled, looking uncomfortable.

 

The boy’s slim fingers untied the string around the paper, and then pulled it away. He caught his breath when he saw the cloth, a stunned expression on his beautiful face. “Oh my goodness,” he said, “Is this…for me?” the wonder and awe in his eyes made Zabuza squirm a bit, something that fascinate Darryx since he’d never seen it happen before.

 

“Yeah,” the swordsman rasped. “And there’s some ribbon there too,” he waved at the package with one hand.

 

Haku found the ribbon and gasped as he lifted it in his slender fingers. “Oh my, it’s so lovely,” he said. “Zabuza, you shouldn’t have bought this. It must have been expensive,” he looked back up at the tall man, who shrugged as he stuck his hands in his pockets.

 

“I don’t have anything else to spend my money on,” he told the younger man. Haku looked back down at the stunning silk fabric, and his eyes had a sheen of tears in them as he said in a choked voice. “Thank you very much. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful before. You’re so kind, Zabuza.”

 

The tall swordsman looked flummoxed, since no one had ever called him ‘kind’ before. But he also looked pleased, since Haku was running his fingertips over the fabric lovingly. It was clear that his gift was very much appreciated. Jenjo looked apprehensive, Darryx decidedly amused. His brown eyes lifted to Jenjo’s face, and the gleam in them made the other man’s breath come short. He felt his cheeks heat, and his worries over Haku and his burgeoning relationship with Zabuza were completely forgotten for the moment.

 

 

The walk home was rather amusing for Darryx. Haku looked at no one but Zabuza, and the dreamy expression on his lovely face made the older swordsman want to chuckle. Zabuza appeared to be a bit perplexed, which was even funnier. Clearly he wasn’t used to having someone look at him the way that Haku was. And then there was Jenjo…the older man was walking slightly ahead of him, and the set of the other man’s shoulders was quite telling. He was definitely getting to that sweet thing. He stuck his hands on his pockets and strolled along whistling cheerfully to himself. This was a pretty good day. The sun was warm, the sky was blue, and Jenjo was completely flustered by him. What more could any man ask for?


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hot older guy sex, coming up! :P Also, it's my birthday today, so happy birthday to me!

Once in the house, Haku bore the packet of beautiful cloth off to put it in the sitting room. He would start working on it tonight after he’d gotten his chores done. Zabuza wandered away to fetch some more black sticks from his bedroom, and Jenjo gave Darryx a wild-eyed look before scurrying away into the back to hide from the swordsman. Darryx shrugged and pottered into the kitchen to get himself a cool drink. He dipped up some water from the tiny cistern and drank it out of a tin cup, leaning back against the wall. 

 

Haku came in and greeted him before beginning to work on dinner. The swordsman offered to help him, and received a surprised look before being tentatively asked to dice some vegetables. He got to work, grinning to himself. It was clear that Zabuza had never offered to help cook - which wasn’t a great shock. As he worked Darryx glanced at Haku’s profile. The lovely boy was taking a beef roast out of the oven - it had slow cooked all day, and would be tender and juicy when they ate it soon. The swordsman pondered for a bit, then decided to say something to the younger man. “Haku?”

 

“Yes?” those gorgeous black eyes turned his way, and he marveled once again at how exquisite this creature was. 

 

Darryx hesitated and then began gravely: “I want to talk to you about Zabuza.” 

 

Silence, then the boy blinked and replied: “What about him?” 

 

The swordsman sighed. “You like him,” he said bluntly.

 

A blush crawled up the boy’s cheeks. “Y-Yes,” he whispered, looking at the floor. 

 

Darryx sighed. “On the one hand, I’m glad,” he remarked, making Haku lift his head and give the older man a look of surprise, “On the other, I worry that you’ll be hurt by him. Zabuza is a good kid, but after what happened to his family…” his brown eyes met Haku’s, “He’s always resisted caring for people. To lose everyone you loved in one fell swoop…” he shook his head, sadness in his eyes. “It took me forever to get him to trust me at all when I first met him. He’s afraid that if he cares for anyone else, he’ll lose them too. It’s an understandable fear, but it's left him closed off and very lonely. I could hope,” he met Haku’s eyes seriously, “That you might be the one who can bring him out of his shell a bit. After all, I’ve never seen him buy gifts for anyone else, not even people he was seducing. I think that he really likes you somewhere inside of himself but he’s afraid to admit it. He’s scared that you’ll die on him.” 

 

Haku drew in a sharp breath. “Oh,” he said softly, “Oh, that makes so much sense. Why didn’t I think about that?” 

 

Darryx shrugged. “You didn’t now him when he was younger, just after the massacre first happened. When I met him, he was like a wild animal. Savage, wouldn’t trust me at all, wanting to lash out at everything and everyone because he was carrying so much pain around inside of him. He’s a come a long way since then, but he still has a lot of baggage that he carries around with him. You, being the gentle, sweet creature you are…” he smiled at Haku, whose blush deepened, “Might be just the thing he needs. Not to mention that you’re of his people, so he knows that at least one other person survived and that he’s not the only one left as he thought. What I’m saying is…if you really care about him, don’t give up on him. Don’t just assume that he’ll callously desert you, or that he’s heartless. I know that he isn’t - I’ve caught glimpses of his heart over the years. I know that he could be a good man. In time, with the right person’s love…” 

 

His smile widened, as Haku turned scarlet and looked at the floor again. “If you really want him, Haku, go and get him. Never let him go. Hold onto him and never stop caring about him no matter what. Eventually your persistence might pay off, especially once he knows that you refuse to give up on him. He’ll respect that whether he wants to or not. And he’ll secretly like it that someone is willing to fight for him, even if he won’t want to admit that. It’s all up to you, Haku, and it depends on what you really want. If its Zabuza - then go and get him.”

 

The boy’s lashed lifted, and he stared silently at Darryx. “I…” he trailed off. “I do want him,” he went on, his voice firming up. He lifted his chin, and the swordsman felt a great deal of satisfaction.

 

“Great. A word of advice - Zabuza’s always been aggressive. That’s why he likes your retiring shyness. So don’t be too pushy or forward - snare him with gentleness, with shyness and maybe even a bit of coyness. He’ll never know what hit him,” he added. 

 

Haku shook his head. “You make it sound as though I should stalk him,” he said. 

 

Darryx chuckled as he turned back to the vegetables. “That’s exactly what I’m saying,” he replied. “That’s what wooing is all about - the chase.”

 

“That’s what you’re doing with Uncle Jenjo, isn’t it?” Haku said after a moment. 

 

The swordsman laughed. “Yep,” he replied. “But then your uncle is a lot like Zabuza in some ways. He’s been hurt, he’s defensive, and his heart has been broken. I have to take him by storm, to sweep him off of his feet. I think it's working,” he added in satisfaction.

 

“Yes it is,” Haku said. “I’ve never seen him so off-balance before. And he watches you all of the time. Besides,” he hesitated, then went on, “He admitted to me this afternoon that he likes you, but that he’s afraid of letting go and trusting you after what happened to him.” 

 

Darryx’s face lit up at this news. He beamed at Haku. But he sobered after a moment. “What did happen to him? I’d like to now in detail so I know what I’m up against.”

 

So Haku told him all about the feckless minstrel who’d broken Jenjo’s heart. The swordsman listened intently, then nodded his head once the boy was finished. “All right. That’s what I figured. So…has he been with anyone since then? At all?” 

 

Haku shook his head. “Not really. I think he goes to a brothel in town once in awhile, but not for a long time now…” 

 

“So he must be hurting by now,” Darryx nearly purred. “Hmm, that’s good to know. These are finished, by the way,” he added, waving at the vegetables. “Do you need me to do anything else?” 

 

“No. Thank you for your help, Darryx, but I’ll soon be finished with dinner.” The boy said quietly. 

 

“You’re most welcome, Haku. I’ll see you in a bit,” he strolled out of the kitchen, his eyes gleaming, intent on his own business. 

 

He searched diligently, and found Jenjo in a back storeroom busily rearranging the shelves. 'Oh, perfect,' he thought with an evil grin. He tiptoed into the storeroom, walking soft-footed up on the other man. He put out his hands and spanned Jenjo’s waist, making the other man jump about a foot in the air with a cry of startlement. He snickered as he refused to remove his hands. “You sure are jumpy, Jenjo,” he said aloud, using his greater strength to begin inexorably reeling the other man  
toward him. 

 

Jenjo was obviously in shock, and didn’t fight him as Darryx drew him nearer. He let his voice go softer and more sultry. “Such a busy little creature. How I wish you’d put those busy hands to work somewhere else altogether,” he buried his face in the long, graying sandy hair, hearing how fast Jenjo was breathing. The other man was frozen, a slight tremor running through his body. He let his hands wander over Jenjo’s abdomen. “I shouldn’t be saying this, I suppose,” he growled, “But I think that you’re one of the sexiest men I’ve ever met.” 

 

Jenjo made a sound of disbelief. “You must be joking,” he rasped incredulously.

 

“Of course I’m not,” the swordsman replied throatily. “I think that you have a poor view of yourself because someone told you that you weren’t sexy, or attractive, or a person worth staying around for. Whoever made you believe that should have a bullwhip used on him.” 

 

Silence. Then Jenjo turned his head a bit toward Darryx. “Do you…really mean that?” he nearly whispered, sounding like a man afraid to hope.

 

Darryx sighed. “Absolutely. Tell me what I have to do to prove it to you, and I’ll do whatever it takes. I want you, Jenjo…and I’m willing to go to any lengths at all to get you.”

 

“You want me,” this statement was said in a shell-shocked tone of voice. The swordsman didn’t reply with words - he simply drew Jenjo up against his body so that the other man could feel the hardness being pressed to his ass. 

 

“What do you think?” he asked simply as Jenjo gasped. 

 

“Oh,” this came out as a faint moan, and the sandy-haired man ended up leaning against Darryx as his legs threatened to go out from under him. The swordsman began to nuzzle the side of his neck, making that weakness worse. “Do you want me too?” Darryx growled into his ear, then licked the rim tenderly. 

 

“Uhh…yeesss,” Jenjo made this admission as his head tilted back. He couldn’t fight his attraction to the swordsman anymore…and truly he was tired of doing so anyway. If he gave in and let Darryx have him, the worst thing that would happen was the other man would leave. He’d survived that once before – he could do it again. And in the meantime there would be almost forgotten pleasure, and someone to share his lonely bed with him. He sighed as he relaxed back into Darryx’s strong arms, giving in completely.

 

The swordsman felt his acquiescence, and made a sound of triumph. He dragged Jenjo out of the storeroom and drew him toward the stairs. The other man went tamely, his hand held in Darryx’s. The swordsman took them to the door of Jenjo’s room, then looked over his shoulder at the sandy-haired man. Seeing his expression, Darryx grinned and opened the door. He pulled Jenjo inside and shut it behind them, locking it so that no one would walk in on them. Then he set to work taking  
Jenjo’s clothes off, while the other man simply stood still and let him. Slowly, tenderly, Darryx stripped each piece away to reveal a body that was still slim and wiry in spite of the fact that he was in middle age.

 

He took his time, exploring every bit of skin, reminding Jenjo of what passion felt like. His mouth and hands sketched the other man’s body, relishing each shiver and cry. He lapped at budding nipples, stroked a nice-looking cock, and fingered an ass that was very tight from lack of use. After a time, Jenjo became nothing but a mass of sensations. Not only had he almost forgotten what this was like, it had never been this good with his other lover. The minstrel had been selfish and rough, taking his own pleasure without too much care for Jenjo’s. Now he was learning the difference under Darryx’s tutelage, and had pretty much forgotten his own name by the time that the swordsman undressed himself and pushed the sandy-haired man down onto his bed. 

 

Then there was more. Much more. Those capable hands seemed to find every sensitive spot on his body, and when they rolled him over so that Darryx could kiss his way down Jenjo’s spine…Oh, Gods! He screamed and thrashed and writhed wildly, experiencing something that he never had before. Oh, it was shameful but so very, very good! He bucked, but the tongue molesting him so pleasurably only drove deeper. He screamed, a sound he’d never made during sex before. He heard a low chuckle, the vibrations of which made him whimper desperately. 

 

Fingers slid into him, worming their way into his body and twisting in a manner designed to blow his mind completely. He was a sweating limp mass when Darryx rolled him back over. The swordsman smiled lazily down at him. “Mmm, so sweet,” he mused as he spit in his hand and began to coat his cock with it. “So responsive. So gorgeous.” 

 

Jenjo blinked up at him dazedly. “I’m not…gorgeous,” he croaked. 

 

Darryx snorted. “Believe what you want, I know better,” he replied. Then he was positioning himself between the other man’s spread legs. He slid home so exquisitely slowly, and Jenjo moaned at the mixture of pain and pleasure. He clutched at Darryx’s back, winding legs around the swordsman’s hips as a mouth descended on his. He gasped into Darryx’s mouth as the other man began to move. “So tight,” the swordsman rasped against his lips. “Feels so good.” 

 

“Oooh,” was Jenjo’s only reply as the swordsman began to rock his hips. 

 

His fingers dug into Darryx’s skin as pleasure washed through him. A tongue laved at his mouth, as that cock ravaged his body. His cries were soft and breathless now, for Darryx’s broad chest was rubbing against his as the other man continued to move within him inexorably. It seemed to go on forever, and just when he thought it couldn’t get any better the swordsman’s hips jinked and he pushed in even harder. Jenjo’s eyes opened wide and he cried out into Darryx’s claiming mouth, a bolt of pleasure ripping through him. What had that been? Oh, Gods, he was doing it again! And again, and again…he cried out deliriously, his back arching, and his fingernails left long red scratches on the swordsman’s back. Darryx grunted but only picked up his  
pace even more. 

 

Oh, it was happening. He felt it rising within him, and there was no stopping it now. Jenjo made a terrible sound in the back of his throat as he felt a massive climax growing and growing inside of him. His hips bucked, his muscles locked – and then he was coming, coming so hard that he was going blind and deaf at the same time. Darkness was falling on him, and he didn’t even care…if he was dying, he would die a happy man. 

 

He felt a spill of warmth within him and heard a groan against his lips. Darryx stilled above him, panting a little, and Jenjo simply let himself go and lay as one dead atop his bed. Hands stroked his skin after a bit, but he only murmured and didn’t move. He heard a soft laugh, then he was pulled up against a strong chest and a nose buried itself in his sweat matted hair. He fell asleep almost immediately, so wrung out that he didn’t care about anything anymore.

 

Darryx lay on one elbow and stared down at Jenjo’s sleeping face. The other man had fallen into an exhausted slumber beside him, and the lined face was now relaxed and younger-looking. There was a small smile on the sleeper’s face, and the swordsman grinned proudly to see it there. How could he not feel proud? He’d worn Jenjo out, and had actually gotten a smile to cross his face at the same time. He ran a possessive hand down his new lover’s shoulder, but Jenjo didn’t even stir. Hmm, looked like he’d have to wait awhile before waking the man up and having his way with him again. That was alright - he’d have many years to come to ravish Jenjo as often and as thoroughly as he wanted. He settled down and pulled the sandy-haired man close again, breathing in his scent contentedly.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darryx proposes to Jenjo, and Haku makes a decision...

Jenjo finally awoke, his eyes flickering open. For a moment he couldn’t remember where he was. Then he felt a pair of strong arms around him, and memory returned. He blushed faintly as he remembered what had happened between himself and Darryx not long ago. His body was somewhat sore, but it also felt languid and heavy in the aftermath of such intense pleasure. He stirred a bit, and that laughing voice said over his shoulder: “Finally awake? I thought you were going to sleep all night.”

 

He gasped, and his cheeks turned even redder when a pair of twinkling brown eyes met his. The swordsman looked amused to see his embarrassment. He kissed the sandy-haired man’s shoulder tenderly. “I really enjoyed that,” he said huskily. “And something tells me you did to. So, you want to do it again?” he went on hopefully. 

 

Jenjo felt his body stir to life at the mere suggestion, and from the smirk on Darryx’s handsome face he was aware of that revival as well. Jenjo found himself being rolled over onto his back. “There are some things I’d LOVE to show you,” Darryx said with a leer. Jenjo gasped again as a head bent and a tongue licked at his thigh. “Starting now,” the swordsman growled, and then he said nothing else. But then, his mouth was very busy…

 

 

Haku wondered where his uncle had gone. It was dinnertime, and while Zabuza had come to the table the two older men had not. He looked at their empty chairs worriedly. The swordsman noted his stare, and set his fork down with a sigh. He would have liked to enjoy his dinner in peace, but he knew that the black-eyed boy would worry for the entire meal if his uncle and Darryx didn’t come down to dinner. Zabuza himself suspected just where the two of them had gone… 

 

He pushed himself to his feet abruptly. “I’ll go and get them,” he said with a nod at the empty chairs.

 

Haku started and then looked up at him gratefully. “Thank you, Zabuza,” he breathed, and the genuine gratitude in those ebony orbs made the muscles in the swordsman’s stomach tighten.

 

“No problem,” Zabuza shrugged and walked out of the dining room.

 

He went up the stairs intending to knock first at the door of Jenjo’s room and then Darryx’s. But his first hard rap was answered from within Jenjo’s room. “What is it?” a voice called. It was clearly Darryx’s, and Zabuza shook his spiky black head. 

 

“It's dinner time,” he called back. “If you two could get your act together and come down? Haku’s wondering where you guys are.”

 

A laugh from within. “Okay, kid. We’ll be right down. I for one am starving,” the other swordsman replied merrily.

 

Zabuza heard a muffled cry from Jenjo, probably of embarrassed protest. He scowled and went back down the stairs. He felt a slight surge of jealousy that his mentor was getting laid while his bed was empty, even though he lived in a house with a beautiful, sexy boy… 

 

Darryx grinned to himself as he finished putting on his clothes. It amused him to see how red his new lover was over Zabuza’s knocking at his door. “Hey, Jenjo,” he said as he pulled on his tunic. 

 

The sandy-haired man looked at him mutely. “When we get hand-fasted in the temple, are you still going to be embarrassed about other people knowing we’re having sex together?” 

 

Shocked silence. The pale blue eyes were wide as the other man stared at him open-mouthed. “W-What?” Jenjo finally manage to yelp.

 

Darryx grinned at him. “What, did you think that I was just going to bed you and go my merry way?” he replied easily. “I told you and Haku that I was looking for a place to settle down and a man to settle down with. I wasn’t lying. I want to get married and live out the rest of my years somewhere peaceful. And wherever I go, it won’t be anywhere without you.” He tried to convey with his sincere stare just how much he meant what he said. 

 

Jenjo’s chest was heaving as he tried to take in this astonishing bit of information. “You really want to marry me,” he said, sounding dumbfounded. 

 

Darryx nodded. “Tomorrow, if you want,” he said. “Although you might want some time to plan the wedding and get some fancy robes to wear. I’d like to see you in something nice and pretty,” he said, running an eye over Jenjo’s body admiringly. 

 

“I-I…” Jenjo looked like a carp the way his mouth was hanging open. 

 

Finally, Darryx sighed and rolled off the bed. “I’m going to get something to eat,” he remarked. “Come downstairs when you finally accept the fact that I mean to marry you.” He walked out of the room, leaving the poor befuddled Jenjo still sitting on the bed. 

 

“Hey kid, Haku,” Darryx said as he entered the dining room. 

 

“Good evening, Darryx. Where is my uncle?” the black-haired boy asked.

 

“Getting dressed. He’ll be right down,” the swordsman replied, then grinned when the boy went rather pink at his words. He pulled out a chair. “Oh, I wanted to tell you both the good news. Jenjo and I are getting married.” 

 

Zabuza merely scowled at his words, but Haku clapped and forgot his embarrassment. “Oh, that is great news!” he cried. 

 

“Yeah. I was thinking – with your skill at needlework you could help Jenjo make some robes for the wedding,” Darryx said to the lovely boy. 

 

“I would love to. But what about you, Darryx?” 

 

The older swordsman blinked. “What about me?” he said. “Well, you should have a nice suit of clothes too. This is your wedding too, after all.”

 

“Huh,” Darryx cocked his head. “I never thought about that. But you’re right. I’ll save up and buy you some material for it,” he said.

 

Haku looked pleased as he passed the delicious-looking food to Darryx. The swordsman filled his plate, for he really was ravenous. Jenjo finally ventured into the room, looking disheveled and rather shy. It was adorable to see in a man his age. Darryx grinned around his bite of roast beef as Haku cried: “Uncle Jenjo! Congratulations! Darryx told us that you’re getting married!” 

 

Jenjo came to a halt, staring at his nephew. “H-He did?” the older man replied warily, staring at the swordsman.

 

Darryx winked at him. Haku nodded vigorously. “Yes! And I’m going to be making your wedding clothes,” he went on in pleasure. 

 

Jenjo stared at Darryx for a moment, and the swordsman patted the chair next to him invitingly. At lat the sandy-haired man ventured over tentatively and sat down. Darryx patted his hip, making him jump. “Eat,” the swordsman commanded, returning to his own meal. 

 

Jenjo began to fill his plate, not quite believing what was going on. Haku was chattering to him about the wedding and the clothes he meant to make for his uncle and Darryx. He was barely able to reply, so bemused was he. Until he actually stood in the temple with the swordsman he wouldn’t believe it, and until the man had been with him for several years he probably wouldn’t trust it. But fortunately for him, Darryx understood; Jenjo had been badly hurt in the past, so he didn’t trust easily. As long as the sandy-haired man was willing to go along with the wedding, Darryx wouldn’t care if Jenjo mistrusted him at first.

 

Zabuza ate his dinner in grim silence. It annoyed him that Haku was so interested in Darryx and Jenjo’s wedding, and that that was all the lovely boy was talking about. He was used to Haku paying more attention to him, but the boy hadn’t said much to him since Darryx had made his announcement. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, the swordsman liked being the center of attention where Haku was concerned. He liked the interest that the lovely creature took in him, and the way those black eyes would fasten on his face when he talked. The adoration in the black gaze always made him feel about ten feet tall. He hadn’t realized just how much he’d gotten used to this state of affairs already until it changed. 

 

Darryx’s gaze slid sideways to his young protégé. He had to conceal a grin when he saw the expression on the harsh face. Zabuza was looking at the remains of his food like he’d love to pulp it with his fist. He knew Zabuza well enough to know what was bothering the younger swordsman. His eyes went to Haku, who was enthusiastically chattering with his nearly silent uncle. He cleared his throat elaborately, and three sets of eyes came to rest on his face. “Haku, you could wear your new robe to the wedding,” he told the boy. “That material that Zabuza bought you is just beautiful. You’ll look lovely in it.”

 

The boy turned faintly pink and glance shyly at Zabuza. “Yes, I can do that,” he replied softly. “It is wonderful fabric. Thank you again, Zabuza, for getting it for me.” The younger swordsman shrugged, but it was clear to Darryx’s eyes that he was pleased by these words just the same. 

 

“You’re welcome,” he replied coolly.

 

“But what are you going to wear to the wedding?” Haku asked him in concern. 

 

Zabuza looked rather taken aback. “Uh…” he began. 

 

The boy went on determinedly. “You can’t just wear your regular clothes. I will make you something to wear as well.”

 

“You don’t have to do that,” Zabuza was now looking rather alarmed, which made Darryx’s lips twitch.

 

“Yes I do! I want everyone to see how handsome you are,” the boy replied stoutly. 

 

The swordsman looked even more taken aback to be called ‘handsome’. “Err…” he began, but Haku was on a roll now. 

 

“I think that I’ll make you a tunic out of a deep-red cloth,” he began, eyeing Zabuza’s chest thoughtfully. “And a pair of black breeches. What do you think, Darryx?” he said to the older man. 

 

Brown eyes agleam, Darryx smiled at the boy. “That sounds great, Haku. He’ll look like a human being for once.” 

 

Zabuza glared at him, which made the older man struggle not to howl with laughter. “I’ll buy the cloth, since this is my wedding we’re talking about. You and I can go and pick it out together.” 

 

Zabuza’s glare intensified. “Don’t you think that I should get some say in this?” he snarled. 

 

Darryx gave him an innocent glance. “No,” he replied firmly. “Since you don’t have any taste at all. But don’t worry – we’ll make sure you look good.” 

 

The younger swordsman looked ready to spit. But Haku disarmed him by smiling at him happily. “I can’t wait to make you something, Zabuza, in return for the wonderful gifts you gave me,” he said with shining eyes. 

 

Zabuza was silenced by that look and Darryx muffled his laughter with his fork. They finished dinner and retired to the sitting room. Jenjo found himself being pulled down on the couch next to Darryx, who slung an arm over his shoulder. He gave the swordsman a rather wild-eyed look, but Darryx only grinned at him and proceeded to kiss him breathless. He forgot where he was for a moment and returned it with feeling. When he was finally released from the clinch, breathless and even more disheveled, he turned bright red when he remembered that his nephew and Zabuza were watching him from the other couch. His hands went to his tail of hair, trying to smooth it. Darryx only chuckled and leaned back on the couch with a satisfied air about him. 

 

They all talked after that (or rather, Haku and Darryx talked, Zabuza grunted a reply to a question once in awhile, and poor Jenjo sat in silence with rather glazed eyes), about their day and the wedding and something about both Zabuza and Haku’s pasts. Haku went to work on his new robe with a will, wanting to get it done so he could start on the wedding clothes for his uncle and Darryx and the outfit he meant to make for Zabuza as well. His fingers flew even as he chatted, and he looked lovely and full of life and very domestic. 

 

Darryx noted shrewdly that Zabuza kept casting glances at the boy. Smitten, or he missed his guess. His protégé simply had to be made aware of his feelings for Haku. He made sure that he sounded just as happy as he felt about getting married and setting up house with Jenjo. He did it for the benefit of both Jenjo and Zabuza both. 

 

The sandy-haired man finally came out of his fugue state and started listening to what Darryx was saying, and to his delight Jenjo actually scooched closer to him on the couch so that he could drape his arm over the other man once more. He did so promptly, his fingers playing with the tail of hair as he continued to talk. Darryx made sure to enumerate all of the positive things that he would be getting by marrying – and he discretely kept any drawbacks to himself. 

 

Finally, it was bedtime. Darryx got up and pulled Jenjo up with him. “We’re going to bed," he said to the other two, making it clear that they would be going to bed together. 

 

Jenjo blushed again, but held the swordsman’s hand as they said goodnight to Haku and Zabuza and left the room together. The lovely boy watched them depart with a smile on his face. The younger swordsman glanced at him uneasily, for the expression on the boy’s face made all of his flight instincts come alive. But Haku merely rose to his own feet, put his sewing away, and told Zabuza goodnight without even looking at him. The lovely boy left the room, and Zabuza stared after his departing back with a black look on his sharply-planed face.

 

 

Haku paused with his needle poised over the length of rose-colored cloth in his lap. He was almost done with his robe, even though it had only been a few days. He was eager to get started on the other three suits of clothes for the wedding. He wanted his uncle and Darryx to get married as soon as possible, because the faster it happened the more reassured Jenjo would be about the swordsman’s intentions toward him. He was already beginning to relax a bit, now that Darryx shared his bed every night. But he would need more than that. Once the two men were married he was bound to feel as though he could trust the other man a bit more. Although it would probably take years before he finally came to trust that Darryx wasn’t going to leave him eventually. 

 

But for the moment the young artist paused to stare at the man draped lazily over the couch nearby. Zabuza’s muscular body resembled a cat’s, and his black eyes were half-lidded. Haku felt his breath come short as it did every time he saw the other man. His stomach churned, and the muscles in his abdomen tightened. Desire coursed heavily through his veins so strongly that it made him tremble. This feeling was getting worse all the time, because he had to watch his uncle and Darryx kiss and touch each other. He wanted that for himself. He wanted Zabuza to kiss him, to caress him, to…make love to him…he blushed at the very thought, but he wanted that experience so badly that he could barely stand it anymore. 

 

He thought about what Darryx had said to him the other day in the kitchen. Zabuza would not try to make a move on him; it would all have to be up to him if he wanted the swordsman. And he did. Desperately. He’d tried being shyly flirtatious and coy both, but neither ploy had worked. Zabuza had shown no signs that he wanted Haku or that he was moved by the boy’s less than skillful filtrations.

 

So there was only one other way that the artist could think of to get what he wanted – he’d simply have to take it. He felt horribly nervous at the very thought. He hasn’t even attempted masturbation after he’d gotten that erection in the kitchen; he was just too embarrassed about the whole thing. So Haku was a complete virgin, and the thought of trying to seduce someone like Zabuza made him shake and sweat. But what other choice did he have? The swordsman might decide to leave any day. He wanted something to remember Zabuza by once he was gone. He wanted memories of pleasure to keep him when he was alone and his bed was empty once more. So he made up his mind right then and there – he would do it tonight.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haku takes matters into his own hands.

Haku looked blindly back down at his sewing. He didn’t think that his fingers were steady enough for him to continue with it right now, so he laid it on his lap. His dark eyes went to the other couch where Jenjo was sitting pulled up against Darryx’s side again. The swordsman seemed to have figured out that the other man was starving for touch, and that being held and cuddled helped to foster trust. His hand was caressing Jenjo’s side through his tunic, and Haku’s uncle was looking almost shyly into the sparkling brown eyes of his fiancé. They were so cute together – he felt wistfulness rise up in him in a wave.

 

But if he couldn’t have this with Zabuza, he would take whatever he could get from the swordsman. He knew the other man wanted him; it was time to take advantage of that fact. Darryx yawned ostentatiously. “I think it's time for bed, don’t you?” he asked Jenjo, a lascivious tone in his voice. 

 

The other man blushed faintly, but nodded in agreement. The older swordsman leapt to his feet. “We’re gonna hit the sack. Goodnight, you two,” he said to Zabuza and Haku. 

 

The boy replied softly in kind, but the younger swordsman only grunted around his black stick. The two men left the room holding hands, obviously both eager to get to bed. Haku sighed and folded up the length of rose-colored cloth. “I will bid you goodnight as well, Zabuza,” he said quietly to the swordsman. 

 

Those narrowed black eyes looked up into his briefly. “Yeah,” Zabuza said. “Night, kid.” 

 

Haku left the sitting room, sure that the swordsman would go to his own bedroom to sleep soon. Probably after he finished his black stick. The boy went to his own room, and changed out of his pink robe. He put on a pretty night robe, but no nightgown as he usually did. He blushed faintly when he thought of the fact that he was naked under the robe, and pulled it tightly closed in front of him. His hands were shaking, but he was determined. 

 

After a short time he heard heavy footsteps on the stairs. He knew them by now – Zabuza was going to bed. He held his breath as a door opened and closed. Then he slid his own door open, walking softly out into the hall. Closing it behind him, Haku leaned back against the door and tried to gather his courage. Finally his chin lifted proudly, and he walked on trembling legs to the door of Zabuza’s bedroom. Not bothering to knock, sure that the swordsman never locked his door, he opened it and stepped inside.

 

Zabuza was standing in the middle of the room and had just removed his jacket. He looked in surprise at the door, seeing Haku standing there. He started to speak, to ask the boy what he wanted – and Haku let the robe he was wearing drop to his feet. He stood there with his slender arms half-covering his body, but with his chin lifted. He looked at Zabuza out of those huge black eyes, saying nothing.

 

The swordsman felt his mouth go dry at the beauty of the slim naked form, and it took him awhile to be able to speak. “What are you doing?” he rasped.

 

Haku replied softly: “It should be obvious, Zabuza. I am offering myself to you,” he forced his arms to drop to his sides so that the swordsman could fully see the exquisite pale form. Silky soft-looking skin covered a lithe body with narrow, gently-rounded hips, and long legs that would wrap around him so sweetly…

 

Two pale-pink nipples crowned the boy’s chest, and a beautifully-formed cock rose up from between the kid’s thighs. It was ornamented by two tight-looking balls, and a soft froth of silky-looking pubic hair. The waist-length hair atop Haku’s head was his only ornament, flowing over his shoulders and caressing his skin. The boy was like walking temptation. And he was offering himself to Zabuza. How could he not take what was being offered to him? 

 

“You sure, kid?” he asked, looking into those big black eyes.

 

A nod. “Yes,” Haku replied simply, his voice only wavering a little.

 

“Okay,” Zabuza replied. He slid his pants down his legs and stepped out of them, holding out a hand to Haku once he was naked. “Come here,” he said, and the boy shivered even as he padded across the floor toward the swordsman.

 

Zabuza shot out a long arm to pull the boy up against him. He heard Haku gasp as their bare skin came into contact. The boy quivered in his arms. He looked down at the soft pink lips he’d wanted to plunder almost from the moment that he’d first seen Haku in the marketplace. “You ever been with anybody before?” he asked in a voice deepened with lust. 

 

Haku silently shook his head. Zabuza let out a long breath. A virgin. A tender young virgin, ready to be initiated. The swordsman’s cock jumped at this thought, twitching against Haku’s stomach. He heard the boy gasp again at the feel of it. He groaned and pulled Haku up on tip-toe, bending his head to kiss those pink lips savagely.

 

Haku gasped one last time, then moaned as Zabuza’s mouth moved over his strongly. Hands closed over his ass, but the boy barely felt them. He was too busy feeling a tongue darting into his half-open mouth. It plunged inside, flicking over everything within, as those strong hands cupped and kneaded the cheeks of his ass. 

 

Haku was losing himself already, far gone from the wildly sensual kiss and those hands caressing him so wonderfully. That mouth was as soft and sweet as he’d known it would be, Zabuza thought as he feasted on the trembling boy. And those sounds – soft little things of passion and desire drawn from that elegant throat as he ate at the boy’s mouth. He parted those tight cheeks, and slid a finger down until it was rubbing over the secretive ring between them. Haku’s hips moved, as the boy instinctively pushed himself backward to get more of this caress. His arms lifted to wind themselves tightly around Zabuza’s neck as he clung on for dear life.

 

When his legs threatened to buckle out from under him completely, he found himself being swept up into a pair of strong arms and deposited on the make-shift bed on the floor that Zabuza slept on. The bigger man hovered over him on his forearms, and then swooped in to kiss him again. His groin pressed down into Haku’s and the boy moaned as their erections slid against one another erotically. His hips jerked as he arched into Zabuza, and his tongue shyly slid out of his mouth at the other man’s encouragement. 

 

They twined together as the two men continued to kiss, and Haku lost track of both time and everything else as it just seemed to go on and on forever. His hands came up to slide over the bare skin of the swordsman’s powerful back, feeling the knotted muscles under his fingers. When Zabuza finally left his mouth, he made a small sound of disappointment. But that was cut off into a moan as the bigger man used a hand to tilt his head back so that Zabuza could begin to kiss and lick a trail down it toward his collarbones.

 

The boy arched and made sounds of desire as an insouciant tongue drifted down the white length of his neck, and teeth gently nibbled at the expanse. He writhed, gasping, as Zabuza suckled at the ridged cords of his tendons then licked at his prominent collarbones. “Zabuzzaaa…” Haku groaned as the swordsman nuzzled at the skin of his chest then headed determinedly for one of those budded pink nipples. 

 

“Yes?” the swordsman replied, just before he closed his mouth over that tender-looking nipple. Haku lost all train of thought as a mouth drew at the rucked nub, whimpering and bucking up into this wonderful sensation. As Zabuza tongued it, Haku cried out deliriously and pushed his erection up against the bigger man’s stomach. Oh, oh! It felt so good! 

 

Fingers were pinching delicately at the other one now, and the boy was losing it. He felt like something strange and wonderful was trying to rise up and wash over him in a tidal wave. He bit at his kiss-swollen lips desperately, needing something so badly…. Zabuza licked one last time at the swollen nipple he’d been molesting, then slid downward even more to kiss the boy’s stomach. Haku was crying out for him, that beautiful face twisted with desire and covered with a rosy flush. He lapped at the jumping muscles of that white abdomen, tasting the pale skin. 

 

The boy writhed for him, gently rounded hips lifting in a begging motion. The swordsman knew what he wanted, even if Haku himself didn’t. He grinned in lazy masculine satisfaction as he nipped at Haku’s lower stomach - then slid his mouth down to close over that pretty cock. Haku screamed in astonished pleasure as a warm, moist mouth closed tightly over him. His hips lunged upward to drive more of himself into that tight space, his black eyes wide. It was too much, too good, he could take no more…his passion crested, and a wail accompanied his first ever orgasm as he climaxed into Zabuza’s sucking mouth.

 

He shot and shot into that enclosing mouth, dimly feeling the other man swallowing. Then he was falling back, spent, his black eyes glazed and sightless as his body continued to throb wildly with the aftershocks. Zabuza lazily licked at the boy’s thigh as he waited for Haku to recover. The boy was even more beautiful like this, with his sweat-matted hair sticking to his flushed face, and his chest heaving as he tried to breathe. Passion suited this lovely creature. He laved his tongue in a trail down to those tight-looking balls and began to lick at them. He heard a soft sound as Haku responded to these caresses on his over-sensitized skin, but he ignored this soft protest. He meant to work the boy up again to a near-peak before he took Haku. 

 

Zabuza wasn’t unkind enough to roughly take a virgin with no preparation. So he set out to kiss and caress every bit of that fabulous skin as the boy came alive again under him. He discovered just how soft the skin was at the backs of Haku’s knees and also at  
the crooks of his elbows. He suckled on slim fingers and once more assaulted the swollen pink nipples. The boy squirmed and writhed once more, reacting with even more intensity now that he knew of the pleasure that could be had. His whimpering cries drove the swordsman on and he stroked at a reviving cock as he bit at the base of Haku’s neck to make a hickey form there. The swordsman suddenly moved away, making Haku cry out incoherently. He’d been so close again - but the other man had only moved to grab his pack and dig out a jar of oil that he kept there. Uncorking it, he returned to where Haku lay staring up at him with dazed black eyes. He knelt down and spread those long legs apart as the boy watched him uncertainly. “Do you know what I’m going to do now?” Zabuza asked him, seeing his expression. 

 

The boy shook his head a bit. “I’m going to put this,” he reached down to stroke at his own cock one-handed, “In here,” he released himself as he reached down to shove an oiled finger into the boy’s anus smoothly.

 

Haku gasped in sudden understanding. The swordsman stilled his finger. “Are you still sure you want this?” he asked, looking down into those black eyes once more. 

 

Haku was silent for a moment, then nodded once. While he was still a bit uncertain about the sex act, he wasn’t uncertain about the fact that he wanted Zabuza. Seeing that nod, the swordsman grunted in satisfaction and drove his finger in further. Haku gasped and arched his back as his body was invaded by that insistent digit. “Relax,” Zabuza told him. “Push outward with your muscles. Trust me.”

 

Haku did. He took deep breaths and relaxed, and after a moment that finger started to feel less weird and more pleasurable. Zabuza took his time, kissing and licking at all the parts that he could reach as he continued to prep Haku. By the time a third finger slid into him, the boy was nearly incoherent again. Especially when Zabuza began to suck his cock again, softly enough that he wouldn’t come. “Please!” he begged after awhile. “Please, Zabuza!” 

 

The swordsman was happy to respond to that plea. He jerked his fingers out and used them to slick up his cock. He lifted those long legs and wrapped them around his waist. Looking down into the languid glazed eyes, he butted the tip of his cock against that twitching pink ring and began to slowly insert himself into Haku’s body. The boy gasped and tensed up, and the swordsman stopped in his advance. Zabuza waited with surprising patience, his hands caressing white thighs and cupping the boy’s tight balls tenderly. When he felt Haku slowly relax at last, he pushed more of himself inside. 

 

So tight! He gritted his teeth to keep from just driving all of himself inside and taking the lovely boy hard. Haku was panting, making small sounds, but he still looked up into Zabuza’s face trustingly. And again he relaxed so that the swordsman could thrust even more of himself inside. Finally, he was fully seated, and Zabuza paused one last time. His hand stroked the boy’s cock back into erection, and when he heard a moan escape the boy’s throat the swordsman tried a small thrust. Haku felt so full, so stretched – but still having Zabuza moving inside of him was the best feeling he’d ever experienced. He tightened his legs around the bigger man’s waist instinctually, arching his back into each of the swordsman’s small strokes. The hand on his cock never ceased caressing him as Zabuza finally picked up his pace. The boy cried out, his head rolling, as pleasure began to swamp him again. “Zabuuzzaaa,” he moaned, his whole body tensing as his hips lifted to meet each thrust. 

 

A growl was the only response as the swordsman began to drive into that writhing white body as he’d wanted to since Haku had dropped his robe to display that naked body for him. The boy screamed and buried his nails in Zabuza’s back, making the bigger man grimace at the pain even as he groaned at the tightness of the passage he was moving in. He was close to coming, and his hips slapped against the boy’s thighs sharply as he struggled to hold back for a bit so that Haku could come with him. The lovely boy’s cock was bright red and quivering in his grasp; he was close. The swordsman moved his hips in a near circle and was rewarded with a wild cry as he hit the boy’s prostate head on. This shriek accompanied Haku’s violent orgasm, and Zabuza happily let himself go and spurted into the squirming white body under him with a roar of pleasure. Zabuza gripped the boy’s thighs and stared with half-lidded eyes down at the gorgeous creature lying in an annihilated heap under him. Mmm, that had been worth the wait. The boy was so sweet, so responsive – it looked like the rest of his stay here was going to be very pleasant indeed.

 

 

Jenjo stirred and opened his eyes. He blinked for a moment at the ceiling overhead and then turned to look at the man sleeping beside him. Darryx’s arm was thrown across his chest possessively, and the swordsman was snoring vigorously. He found himself smiling as he gazed into that handsome face. It was so strange – to wake up with someone else in the morning, to feel strong arms around him, to snuggle up to another warm body when the evenings were chill. He still couldn’t quite believe what was happening. But he was so happy right now that he didn’t care to question it anyway. He’d save that for when Darryx finally left. Although…his heart was telling him that the swordsman wasn’t going anywhere. And oh, how he wanted to believe that… 

 

He moved over the bed to kiss Darryx’s lips lightly. He just wanted to feel the other man’s lips against his, to reassure himself that the swordsman wasn’t an illusion. But the moment that his mouth touched Darryx’s, those brown eyes opened. A smile lurked in them as the other man growled sleepily: “Mmm, nice way to wake up. You gonna do that every morning from now on, Jenj?” 

 

The sandy-haired man blushed faintly, charming his bed companion thoroughly. Before he could draw away from embarrassment, Darryx’s strong arms pulled him close and held him easily as the swordsman plundered his mouth thoroughly. Somewhere in the middle of the kiss he forgot any objections he might have had altogether - especially when Darryx rolled over so that he was half-lying atop Jenjo’s body. He wound his legs around the other man’s hips as Darryx continued to kiss him. He felt the nudge of the swordsman’s erection against his stomach. This was definitely not an illusion, he thought giddily as Darryx’s tongue slipped into his mouth. Definitely not.

 

A bit later he wandered out of his room with a blissful expression on his face. He drifted down the stairs to the kitchen to help Haku with breakfast, humming a little to himself. But when he arrived at the door he saw no sign of the boy. The stove wasn’t lit and no kettle boiled merrily atop it. Jenjo froze in the door way, feeling panic run through him. What kind of horrible disaster had befallen Haku to keep him from the kitchen? The last time the boy hadn’t gotten up to make them breakfast he’d had an awful cold that had confined him to bed for weeks. Was he ill? Had he fallen down and broken something? 

 

Jenjo whirled and ran back up the stairs to Haku’s room, his stomach twisting with anxiety. He pushed open the door without bothering to knock, but the bed was empty -and it hadn’t even been slept in. Jenjo felt his anxiety mount as he saw that. There could only be one place that the boy was if he hadn’t slept in his bed. He turned and walked slowly toward the door of Zabuza’s room, not wanting to see what he knew he was going to. He tried the door and it was unlocked. He lifted the latch and pushed the door open. His heart plunged into his stomach when he saw the scene within, which was just what he’d expected to see.

 

Two naked people were sleeping on Zabuza’s make-shift bed on the floor. Haku’s face was pressed to the swordsman’s bare chest, and one of his hands rested on the older man’s hip. His face was pink-cheeked, his black hair mussed. He looked perfectly contented and sated. Jenjo groaned softly. 'Oh, no,' he thought in horror. 'Oh, my poor Haku,' then he jumped as a hand touched his arm.

 

He looked over his shoulder into Darryx’s grave face. “Leave them alone, Jenj,” the swordsman recommended. “There’s nothing you can do about it anyway.” 

 

He drew the shell-shocked Jenjo away and down the stairs, and he went tamely with no protests. His mind was still reeling. Once in the dining room, Darryx shoved Jenjo into a chair and went into the kitchen to make some tea for him. Jenjo could hear him rattling around in there, and finally the man emerged looking triumphant. “Tea’s on,” he told Jenjo, sitting down in a chair near him. He reached out and patted his fiancé’s knee. “Stop worrying so much, Jenjo. It’ll be okay,” he said reassuringly.

 

“How do you know that?” Jenjo asked stiffly. 

 

The swordsman sighed. “Actually I don’t. But the thing is, there’s nothing you can do anyway. Haku gave himself to Zabuza willingly.”

 

“You don’t know that!” Jenjo protested indignantly. “That young devil probably seduced him!” Darryx shook his head. 

 

“No,” he replied firmly. “Zabuza’s a lot of things, but he’s not a liar. If he swore he wouldn’t try to seduce Haku then he didn’t. So the only way that the boy could have ended up in his bed is if Haku offered himself to Zabuza. And you know he might have – he’s in love with Zabuza, you know that.” He stared steadily at the sandy-haired man, who finally wilted and sighed.

 

“Yes, I know,” he replied sadly. “Oh, my poor Haku.”

 

“You’re getting ahead of yourself,” Darryx noted calmly. “Things may work out yet. And even if they don’t – we’ll both be here for Haku to help him mend his broken heart. He won’t be alone like you were, with only a small child to take care of and no one to hug you when you needed it.” Jenjo just stared at him mutely. 

 

Darryx sighed and leaned forward, cupping his fiancé’s cheek in his hand. “Wait and see,” he advised Jenjo. ‘You may be surprised yet.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The End...and they all live happily ever after! :)

Zabuza awoke swiftly when he heard someone open the door of his room. He heard a sharp intake of breath, then Darryx’s voice talking to someone. Looks like Jenjo had figured out where Haku had gone, he thought as he heard the two men retreat from his door. His black eyes looked down at the boy curled up against him, staring at that beautiful porcelain face. A rosy mouth was softly open as the boy slept, and thick black lashes lay against his cheeks. That glossy dark hair was brushing Zabuza’s chest. One slim hand was closed over his hip. 

 

The swordsman found that he liked waking up this way, having a soft warm body pressed to his trustingly. He frowned at himself at this thought, and as he did so the black lashes lifted and a pair of hazy ebony eyes looked up into his. “Good morning, kid,” he said quietly. 

 

Haku blinked, then smiled slightly. “Good morning, Zabuza,” he replied in his soft voice.

 

“Having regrets?” the swordsman asked.

 

Haku shook his head. “No,” he replied serenely.

 

“Great,” the swordsman leaned over to kiss that sweet mouth once again, hearing the candy-floss moans that were drawn from Haku’s throat. When their lips parted, he saw the pink flush that was rising in the porcelain cheeks. He could have done the boy right here and now, but Haku had to be really sore by now. He’d taken the kid at least three times last night. “We should get up soon I guess.”

 

“Yes,” Haku stirred a bit, but then gazed up at him gravely. “Zabuza?” he said.

 

“Yeah, what is it?” the swordsman replied idly. 

 

“I just want to say…” Haku paused for a moment, then took a deep breath. “I…love you, Zabuza.”

 

Stunned silence. The swordsman had tensed at his words, but the boy merely pressed his face to Zabuza’s bare chest. “I know you probably don’t want to hear that,” he murmured against the man’s bronzed skin, “But I wanted to tell you. I love you. I don’t expect you to love me in return. I just wished to say it.” 

 

Looking down at the top of that glossy black head, Zabuza felt the oddest sensation in the pit of his stomach. Suddenly, Darryx’s words came back to him about ending up a lonely, bitter old man, wandering the roads like a lost soul. And that it would be his own fault, because he was going to throw away something special. Out of fear. Out of a need to never care for anyone ever again lest he be hurt. Out of weakness. The boy was far more courageous than he was, giving his heart unstintingly to someone who wasn’t worth the dirt that he walked on. And now, knowing that he might be rejected, he voiced his feelings anyway. Zabuza was in silent awe of such courage.

 

He used his fingers to lift a pointed chin. Those big eyes looked up at him woefully, moisture gathering at the corners. Zabuza growled softly. “Don’t you dare cry, Haku,” he said. 

 

The boy blinked quickly, sniffling a bit. “I’m sorry,” he husked. 

 

Zabuza shook his head. “Silly kid. Damn it, I’ve got no choice now. I’m going to have to marry you.” 

 

He enjoyed the way that Haku’s mouth fell open at his words, and the way the black eyes widened even more. “W-What?!” Haku yelped. 

 

He grinned. “That’s what you get for spouting all of that love nonsense. Now you’ll never get rid of me,” the swordsman said, his fingers stroking Haku’s chin. 

 

“Oh, oh,” now tears were running freely down Haku’s cheeks. “Zabuza…” he buried his face back in the swordsman’s chest. 

 

“You gonna sniffle all morning?” Zabuza said into the glossy black hair. The boy only clung to him more tightly. The swordsman felt a spurt of possessive pride go through him. Haku was his now…and would stay his. This place had become home, and this boy had become a touchstone for him. He couldn’t do without either anymore.   
Somehow Haku had crept into his battered heart and had taken root there, and Zabuza found himself unable to try to dig him out. Instead he’d let that little flower blossom, bringing beauty to a place that was pretty ugly.

 

Man, he was getting sentimental now. He blamed Haku totally for that. Zabuza sighed, but his fingers only buried themselves in the glossy hair. He couldn’t regret coming to this town, or being stopped by a determined little roadblock with his arms spread wide. His life had been pretty empty before Haku had blocked his way. He’d been a hollow man, a person who refused to feel anything at all. He’d had no one and nothing. Now he’d have a ‘wife’, and in-laws in the shape of his old friend and Haku’s ‘uncle’, and a home presided over by a lovely little homemaker spirit. He could run away, he could forget that this had all happened - but if he did that would make him a coward. And if a slender young boy could have the kind of courage that Haku had displayed, how could he allow himself to be less strong?

 

“Come on, kid, no more crying,” he urged Haku. He pushed the boy away, running a thumb under his black eyes to gather up the moisture there. “Let’s get up. You can go tell your uncle and Darryx the news, eh? Go on,” he gently pushed Haku away, and the boy finally recovered himself enough to sit up. 

 

He moaned a little in pain as he limped over to retrieve his robe from the floor, his hand to his lower back. Zabuza watched Haku get dressed, enjoying that white beauty with his eyes as he had with his body last night. “I’ll be down in a minute,” He told Haku when he turned to look at the swordsman questioningly over his shoulder.

 

Haku nodded and left the room. Zabuza stretched out on his bed and folded his arms over his head. Strangely enough he felt no anxiety over his decision. Marrying Haku was the right thing to do; if it hadn’t been, he wouldn’t have felt so peaceful about the whole situation. He snorted as he rolled over to retrieve one of his black sticks from the pocket of his jacket. He lit it up, lounging around smoking in bed, feeling like the victor in some kind of contest. He felt like a stallion who’d just acquired a pretty little mare for his herd. He chuckled to himself at this thought, shaking his head. He was getting soft and treacly in his old age. Ah, well. Somehow it wasn’t so bad, being this way. Not bad at all. 

 

Jenjo looked up when Haku drifted into the dining room. The boy’s cheeks were pink, his eyes were shining like stars - and there were tear tracks on his cheeks. Jenjo jumped to his feet and hurried over to his nephew. “Haku! Child, what’s happened?” he asked anxiously, taking Haku’s slim hands in his own. 

 

The boy blinked at him, clearly not all there at the moment. “Uncle Jenjo,” he said dreamily as Darryx came out of the kitchen with a tea tray in his hands, “I…Zabuza and I are getting married.” He said. 

 

Jenjo’s jaw dropped as Darryx stared at Haku in amazement. “Haku? What makes you think that?” Jenjo asked after a moment, wondering with a sinking feeling if his nephew had lost his mind because of that devilish swordsman. 

 

Haku replied simply: “He said that we were.”

 

Jenjo just couldn’t believe it. Darryx was starting to grin, looking thoroughly pleased. Haku released Jenjo’s hands and hurried over to help him with the tea tray. “Thank you for making tea, Darryx,” he said softly. 

 

“You’re welcome,” the older swordsman replied. “And congratulations, Haku.” 

 

“Thank you,” the color in the boy’s fair cheeks swarmed higher, but his eyes were like stars as he carried the tray to the table and began to set up the cups and saucers. Every movement he made spoke of joy and wonder in equal parts. Darryx went over to his fiancé, who was looking traumatized. He caught up Jenjo’s hands.

 

“I told you it’d be all right” he told Jenjo in satisfaction. “I knew that Zabuza would come through in the end.” 

 

Jenjo stared up at him. “How are we to know that he really means to marry Haku?” he asked. 

 

Darryx shook his head. “He never would have told the boy they were getting married if he didn’t mean to,” he replied. “I told you that Zabuza’s not a liar. He wouldn’t bother to say something like that if he didn’t mean it, especially not after he’d already gotten Haku into bed without having to make something up to lure him there.” He patted Jenjo’s hands tenderly. “Stop worrying so much. Haku won’t be hurt like you were.” J

 

enjo sighed in relief, nearly shaking as all of his muscles unknotted slowly. “I will take your word for it,” he told Darryx. 

 

The swordsman grinned. “Great! Come on, let’s drink some tea and celebrate Haku’s engagement.” he urged Jenjo back to the table where Haku was fussing over the cups happily. He seated Jenjo ceremoniously, then dropped into a chair next to him. 

 

As Haku began to pour the tea, Zabuza finally wandered into the room. “Hey, kid,” Darryx said to him. “Haku told us your good news.”

 

Zabuza snorted and came over to sit down. Haku immediately went to him to hand him a cup. He took it, his fingers lightly brushing the boy’s. Haku turned a charming pink color and hurriedly turned away to conceal the fact that he was getting an erection. Zabuza grinned and looked at the two older men. “What?” he demanded, eyeing them. 

Darryx shrugged. “Nothing.” he replied merrily. “Nothing at all.”

 

 

 

“Damn it, I look like a red velvet couch,” Zabuza muttered, pulling at the fabric of the tunic he was wearing. “Plus, it’s hot. And it itches,” he muttered, scratching at his belly under the tunic with one hand.

 

Darryx laughed loudly at him. The older man was wearing a dark blue tunic similar in cut and design to the red one that the younger swordsman had on. The sleeves were a bit wider, and there was a narrow band of silver embroidery at the collar and around the sleeves. But he didn’t look uneasy and uncomfortable in his wedding clothes, unlike Zabuza. “Look at it this way, kid,” he pointed out amiably as he leaned with his back against the pillar in the Temple. “It’s only this one time for a few hours. And you can’t take it off - that would hurt Haku’s feelings. He worked hard to make that for you. You’re not going to make him cry on your wedding day, are you? That wouldn’t be a good omen for your future together.”

 

Zabuza scowled at him but subsided. They were waiting for their ‘brides’ to finish getting ready in a small chamber off of the main part of the Temple. Then the priestess would ceremoniously bind their hands together, and declare them to be married in the eyes of the Gods. Darryx had been the one to suggest that they have two weddings in one, and both Jenjo and Haku had been whole-hearted in their approval of the idea. 

 

Zabuza had only glowered at his friend, but that was the expression he got on his face whenever his wedding was mentioned anyway. It wasn’t so much that he was regretting telling Haku that they’d be getting married – it was just that he wanted to get it over with and be done with it. All of the plans that Haku and Jenjo were coming up with, the clothes the boy was sewing, and the food that was being cooked for the little reception – it was all too much for him. 

 

He glowered out at the small group of guests gathered in the Temple to watch the two pairs get married. Zabuza was wishing he was anywhere but here right now. Haku was blissfully happy over this wedding, but he hated every minute of it. If he could have had his way he would have married the kid in a roadside temple with no witnesses and no fancy clothes involved. The only reason he was tolerating this at all was the pleasure that Haku was getting out of the whole thing. Otherwise he’d have dragged the boy off to that roadside temple weeks ago. 

 

But he just couldn’t look into those softly shining black eyes and ruin it for Haku. So he was suffering in (near) silence, just waiting for it to be all over. And it would be soon, thank the Gods. He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could have taken without cracking. 

 

Darryx shot him an amused sideways glance. Zabuza resembled a bull run into a thorn thicket, especially with the way he was pulling at the collar of that tunic. He looked surprisingly handsome in the outfit that Haku had made for him but also desperately uncomfortable. The older man was pleased that his friend obviously cared for the boy enough to put up with all of this, in spite of the fact that he clearly loathed everything about his wedding. Well, except for the ‘bride’, obviously. His lips twitched as he wondered how much longer Zabuza would be able to stand this. He was making bets with himself whether the younger swordsman would make it through the ceremony - let alone the reception. 

 

The door opened behind them, and both men turned to look as Jenjo and Haku finally emerged. It had been worth the wait, Darryx thought as he whistled lowly at the sight of his fiancé. Jenjo was shyly blushing again, something he found utterly adorable on a man of Jenjo’s age. He was dressed in a robe of a soft blue that complemented Darryx’s own blue tunic, and he had a belt of woven silver threads around his waist. A silver clasp held his sandy hair back in a tail. The barest froth of lace peeked out from his cuffs and edged the collar of the robes. Narrow half-boots of blue leather the same color as Darryx’s tunic encased his feet. To the swordsman’s dazzled eyes, Jenjo was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen in his life. He stepped forward and grabbed a hand encased in the softest of suede kid leather, smiling at his fiancé. “You look wonderful, Jenjo,” he said admiringly, making that soft rosy blush strengthen as the other man dropped his eyes. 

 

“Thank you. You look very handsome as well,” Jenjo replied. 

 

“You ready?” Darryx asked him. A nod. Both of them glanced at the other pair, seeing that Zabuza was staring silently at Haku. The boy was wearing the robe he’d made out of the rose-colored silk, and it hugged his slender body in all the right places. The creamy border edged the collar, the sleeves, and the bottom hem. His long hair was bound up with the same ribbon he’d been wearing ever since Zabuza had bought it for him. He’d painted his nails a soft pinkish-rose color today to match his wedding outfit, and a belt of more of the cream-colored silk had been embroidered with roses all along its length. It had been knotted in the front, and the ends fell almost to the bottom hem of the robe. 

 

He was so beautiful that it took one’s breath away – and that was clearly what had happened to Zabuza. He seemed frozen in place, silently staring at the boy as Haku’s eyes fell and a slight smile graced his softly pink lips. “Do you like it, Zabuza?” he asked.

 

“Uh,” was the only sound that the swordsman could make at first. Then he cleared his throat and tried again. “Yeah,” he went on. 

 

That was all that Haku seemed to need to hear. His eyes were glowing as he looked up into the swordsman’s sharply-planed face. “You look very handsome,” he said, eyeing the tunic and the black breeches that the swordsman was wearing with admiration tinged with satisfaction over his own good work. 

 

“Great. Can we get on with this?” Zabuza demanded rudely. Jenjo looked like he wanted to scold the swordsman, but Haku merely shook his head a little and smiled. “Yes, let’s go,” he said, putting his hand on Zabuza’s arm. 

 

'The boy knows him well already' Darryx thought as he fell in beside his own fiancé and they walked down the center aisle toward the waiting priestess. 'He’ll never be put off by Zabuza’s ill humors or seeming heartlessness. He knows that that’s all an act that he puts on to keep people at bay.' 

 

The two couples came to stand in front of the priestess, and she smiled upon them in benediction as she turned to pick up the ceremonial cup that they’d all drink out of later. “The Gods have called us here today to witness theses two unions. May they be blessed with long years of happiness together, and may the Gods always smile upon them.” she began. 

 

 

When they emerged from the Temple a bit later, Darryx felt pleased as punch as he looked at his new husband. Jenjo looked radiant, his eyes shining and a genuine smile on his face as he hung on the swordsman’s arm. Clearly he felt happier now that they were married, as he was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. Darryx put a possessive arm around his slim waist and drew him close, stealing a kiss right there in the open. He made his new spouse bluish rosily, as Jenjo protested: “Darryx!” looking around at the wedding guests and the people out on the street.

 

The swordsman chuckled. “What? I can’t kiss my new husband? It’s a celebration, right?” he said wheedlingly, his eyes twinkling. 

 

Jenjo sighed but didn’t protest again when Darryx swooped in for another, longer kiss. He merely twined his arms around the swordsman’s neck and returned it with enthusiasm. He was flushed and more gorgeous than ever (in Darryx’s opinion, anyway) when he finally emerged from the embrace. 

 

“You two done?” Zabuza’s voice drawled impatiently nearby. “We still have to get through the reception,” he added in irritation. Darryx turned a grin on his friend, seeing that while the swordsman spoke with impatience and annoyance his arm was around Haku’s waist and the boy was pulled up against his side. 

 

'Claiming his new husband for all to see,' Darryx thought wickedly. 'Ah, hells; you didn’t stand a chance anyway, kid. Not with those big black eyes looking at you like they are now, all adoring and everything. You secretly love the fact that he thinks you’re the most wonderful man ever born.' 

 

He wasn’t stupid enough to say any of that aloud however. “Yeah, let’s get going,” he said merrily. “I’m looking forward to all that scrumptious-looking food you guys made,” he said to Haku and Jenjo both. “And then,” he went on for his husband’s ears only, “There’s the wedding night,” he waggled his brows lasciviously to make Jenjo blush, and laughed when his husband hit him in the arm and frowned a bit even as he turned red. He thought his Jenjo to be the cutest thing ever. Especially when he bristled like a porcupine in outrage.

 

 

 

The party was finally over, and the two couples had retired to celebrate their nuptials in the best way possible. Haku’s room had been converted into a bedroom for both he and Zabuza, and a very large bed had been ordered from a carpenter so that the swordsman didn’t have to sleep on the floor every night. The two men had ‘celebrated’ with vigor, and Haku had slipped into a deep sleep after the third enthusiastic coupling. He lay on his back with his head slightly turned toward his new husband, a small smile gracing his lips. His long lashes lay on his porcelain cheeks, and Zabuza found himself just watching his new husband sleep. He felt strange. He was actually a married man! He never would have believed that possible before this. Before he’d walked into this town and had been stopped by Haku in the marketplace, he never would have thought about settling down and getting married. But as he looked at the boy’s sweet face he knew with complete certainty that he’d made the right decision. His heart had been utterly ensnared by this boy. Before he hadn’t even been sure that he HAD a heart – but now he knew he did - because it beat just for this person, the exquisite young man sharing his bed. 

 

Silently he reached out and laid the back of his hand against Haku’s cheek in a reverent touch. He closed his eyes, falling asleep with his hand still resting against that lovely porcelain skin.

 

The End

 

A/N: Ah, that ending! It made me cry so damn hard, especially when it started snowing, and Zabuza thought: "Haku, are you crying?" Sobbed so hard I gave myself a headache. Determined then and there that I'd give these two a much sweeter, happier, and more romantic ending. Hope you guys like it, because i enjoyed writing it. -DL


End file.
